Crisis support

Need help now

If you feel very distressed and unable to keep yourself safe, (you may be having thoughts of suicide or harming yourself) and need immediate help, ring 999 or go to your local A&E department if you are able to.

Mental health crisis and suicide

  • Samaritansare available 24-hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress, despair or suicidal thoughts. Phone 116 123.
  • Crisis Line- The Mental Health Crisis Line is run by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 0800 953 0110. It is staffed by trained mental health professionals who are able to provide assessment and referrals to appropriate services. Ring it if you need to access services or for advice about someone who needs treatment or support.
  • Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provide a  wellbeing helpline and texting service that provides emotional support for wellbeing or mental health.
  • Free online suicide prevention training course from the Zero Suicide Allianceincludes how to recognise the warning signs and safeguard someone who could be contemplating suicide. 

Support if you experience something upsetting or traumatic at work

Lancashire County Council deliver a range of services to the people of Lancashire and sometimes, there may be a risk of staff being exposed to a traumatic and /or upsetting incident at work. Everyone is different and will respond to the same incident in different ways; some will find an event upsetting, some won't, and their reaction level is not always related to the severity of the incident.

Talking to somebody about how you feel as soon as you feel able is important for your wellbeing and to help you move forward following a traumatic incident. It does not matter how long after the event that support is requested, as it is quite common for distress to emerge months or years after an incident.

If you have experienced trauma at work, your colleagues or your manager should be your first point of contact. You can ask your manager to request support for your from Occupational Health following trauma.

You can also access the employee assistance programme for  24/7 telephone counselling from a specialist trauma response clinician.

The NHS also has more information about post-traumatic stress, including the signs and symptoms to look out for. You can access specialist help from the traumatic stress service.

Domestic abuse

Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, socio-economic status, religious belief, sexuality or background. It causes significant harm to individuals, children, families, and communities. Help and advice are available across Lancashire including helplines, on-line live chat services , refuge and safehouse accommodation.

There is also an e-learning course to raise awareness and understanding of domestic abuse available for all staff, which can be found on Astute.

Addiction

The difficult thing about addiction is the use of any substance doesn’t automatically lead to abuse or addiction and there are no specific levels at which any substance moves from casual to problematic.

It varies by individual so addiction is less about the amount of substance and more to do with the consequences of use.

If your use of substances or activities is negatively affecting your relationship with family and friends, your ability to work, physical health, well-being/self-confidence, self-esteem or your ability to take care of your normal responsibilities, then you may well need to consider that your use of a substance has become an addictive process (extract from the Employee Assistance Programme Portal)

Inspire CGL Lancashire - providing all aspects of drug and alcohol treatment, including open access, structured treatment and referral to tier 4 rehabilitation.

Alcohol and Substance Misuse: Adults 

Central and North Lancashire contact: Telephone: 08081 698673 email: CentralNorthLancs.Referrals@cgl.org.uk

East Lancashire contact: Telephone: 01254 495382 email: eastlancs.info@cgl.org.uk

Gambling

Problem gambling is often described as a hidden addiction because, unlike substance abuse, there is no visible sign of what is happening.

BeGambleAware - The BeGambleAware website has a short series of questions you can complete if you are concerned about your gambling. This has direct link to help, support and advice about problem gambling. 

The National Gambling Helpline - The Helpline provides confidential advice, information and emotional support throughout Great Britain to anyone experiencing problems with gambling. (available 8am to midnight, seven days a week, 365 days a year). Telephone: 0808 8020 133.