Information for patients and carers
Crisis support
How to get help in a mental health crisis.
A mental health crisis means you are very stressed and worried.
- You might want to hurt yourself, or someone else.
- You might hear strange voices.
- You might feel that people are watching you or want to hurt you.
If you want, you can tell someone you trust. This might be someone from your family or a friend.
They can help you decide what to do.
If you need urgent help but it isn't an emergency
If you need urgent help for your mental health, but it's not an emergency:
- Call 0800 731 2864 and choose option 1 to speak to our local mental health crisis line.Tell us if you need an interpreter. We can connect you to local mental health services, including our crisis support teams and peer support services.
- NHS 111 press 2
People experiencing a mental health crisis can call 111 and press 2 to access 24/7 mental health support .
People of all ages who are in crisis, or concerned family and loved ones, can now call 111, select the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional who will guide callers to the most appropriate service for them, such organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to A&E or a hospital admission.
- Check out ways to help yourself cope during a crisis from the mental health charity Mind
If you are in contact with one of our mental health services
Check your crisis plan, if you have one, and:
Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Contact your care coordinator or the duty number for the team that is supporting you.
If you don't have their details, visit our services.
If you are not an adult, visit urgent help for children, young people and families
At other times
- Call 0800 731 2864 and choose option 1 to speak to our local mental health crisis line.Tell us if you need an interpreter. We can connect you to local mental health services, including our crisis support teams and peer support services.
- Call 111 or get help from NHS 111 online
- Call Solidarity in a Crisis, the out of hours peer support service for Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, 0300 123 1922. They are open Monday to Friday from 6pm to 12 midnight, and Saturday and Sunday from midday to midnight.
- Check out ways to help yourself cope during a crisis from the mental health charity Mind
If you need less urgent help
Don’t suffer in silence. Get help. You could:
- Speak to your GP. They can put you in touch with local services.
- Contact your local NHS talking therapies service
- Get support from one of these national charities
- Contact one of these local organisations
Crisis contacts for health and social care professionals
Emergency services and out of hours: contact our Acute Referral Centre on 020 3228 6272.
During office hours contact your local assessment and liaison team:
Lambeth
Our assessment and liaison team has been replaced with Lambeth Single Point of Access
Email: lambethspa@slam.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0800 090 2456
Croydon
Email: CroydonCentralAssessmentandLiaisonTeam@slam.nhs.uk
Telephone: 020 3228 0365
Southwark North (Maudsley Hospital)
Email: PCMHTSouthwarkNorthReferrals@slam.nhs.uk
Telephone: 020 3228 9800
Our crisis leaflets - including translations
Our borough crisis leaflets, self-harm leaflet and crisis poster
Distressed or in crisis - poster
Getting help in a mental health crisis - Croydon
Getting help in a mental health crisis - Lewisham
Getting help in a mental health crisis - Lambeth
Getting help in a mental health crisis - Southwark
Easier read and large print leaflets
Translated leaflets
If you or someone else is in danger
If you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now. There are specialist mental health teams in A&E that can support you and refer you to other services.
