Since last April NELFT along with East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and partners across NEL have been running NHS 111 option 2 for mental health, to ensure people experiencing crises can access support 24/7.  

The team has a wide range of skills, including on-the-phone brief psychological support and has access to key services and organisations that can offer mental health support to people in their time of need.  

Angela Harvey, who has been a registered mental health nurse for 24 years, is one of the practitioners working at the service helping people get the urgent care and advice they need.    
Angela said: 

“I chose to work in mental health because I’ve always been very curious, and inquisitive, but I also wanted to be able to support people who might be feeling vulnerable. Working in mental health is about giving back and caring.”

Angela works as a mental health practitioner, supporting junior colleagues on the shift to deepen their understanding of mental healthcare and encourag ing them to develop their skills. She added:

“It’s an extremely rewarding role for anyone who wants to hone their leadership skills and take control of a crisis shift. Every call is different, but when you pick up phone you support people in need, reassure them, give them a starting point.

“We work very closely with GPs, pharmacists, the police, and ambulance services and we can immediately triage, which means that people don’t have to wait. It saves time and is beneficial for patients, but it also helps reduce waiting times and A&E attendance.

“People want to speak to someone and feel listened to when they are in crisis, it’s difficult to wait. When you have anxiety and low mood, to hear ‘you’ll be ok, here’s what you can do' is a lifeline.”  

The service is available for people living in Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Hackney, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.  

To find out more about current roles available for the North East London 111 Crisis Hub go to NELFT Careers or Job vacancies | East London NHS Foundation Trust.