Health bosses close to launching new system for mental health helpline

An extra staff member will be added to take additional calls to the Mind mental health helpline, as health bosses hammer out the final details for a new service.

The helpline, which faced closure earlier this year due to a lack of funds, is being merged with the Wellbeing helpline as part of the region’s mental health trust’s Wellbeing Service after chiefs agreed to invest an uncon-firmed amount of money towards the service.

As part of the scheme the Wellbeing helpline, available to call-ers with less acute conditions than those who ring Mind’s helpline, will have its opening hours extended.

Both helplines are to operate under the same number, with staff from either helpline able to answer both sets of callers.

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