Everyturn Mental Health to open 'safe haven' crisis centre in Ashington as part of £1m project with the NHS

Mental health non-profit Everyturn will operate the ‘safe haven,’ which will offer immediate and practical support to people experiencing a mental health crisis seven days a week, in partnership with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB).

Pasha Tanriverdi, head of service development at Everyturn, said: “The lasting impact of Covid and the cost of living crisis has put the people of the North East under immense pressure so it is vital that support based in the community is there for those who need it.

“It is important that organisations work together to help our local people and by partnering with the NHS to open these innovative safe havens across the North East we are ensuring that people in mental health crisis have access to the right support at the right time.”

The Ashington centre will be the first such centre to open, and will be followed by a centre in North Tyneside and one in Newcastle.

The services will create 10 new jobs in North Tyneside and Northumberland and over 2,000 people will be helped by each haven every year.

Safe havens will be based in a local community space, and it is hoped they will reduce barriers to accessing crisis support and alleviate pressure on emergency services.

Everyturn’s existing mental health crisis services in the North East have seen a 42% increase in referrals in the last year, and Northumbria Police is reporting a 152% rise in mental health incidents for the same period.

Samantha Allen, North East and North Cumbria ICB's chief executive, said: "Providing a place in the community for people to receive help with their mental health is often better than a medical setting like A&E.

"We are determined to support people to access support and reduce suicide rates across our communities, and are working with our partners to address the wider causes that impact people's mental health like housing, loneliness, employment, alcohol, or money worries."

Anyone struggling with their mental health can talk to a GP or visit everyturn.org.