Save Leeds’ only instant access crisis counselling service from closure. Other services have long waiting lists and will soon be cut too.
The service is used by well over 1000 people a year, 500 of whom are deemed too high a risk for any other service. 58% are women (including victims of domestic violence and rape). 22% are from black and minority ethnic communities. Leeds Crisis Centre employs two Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Group outreach workers, an Asian women’s worker who can offer counselling in Punjabi, Urdhu, as well as English, and a BME men’s worker. Nearly 10% of people using the Centre are from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. All age groups from teenagers 16 plus are represented; 10% of users are victims of crime.
46% of its referrals come from the NHS. 33% of referrals are from GPs, who are about to be given control of NHS budgets. This makes it all the more astonishing that the NHS PCT (the local health trust) has so far shown no interest in funding the service – a service which their own colleagues clearly rely upon.
The Centre uses the ‘CORE’ measuring tool, which all clients are invited to complete at the initial assessment appointment, and then again at their final counselling session, to measure the changes in the person’s level of distress. On average, clients of Leeds Crisis Centre experience a clinically significant reduction in distress over the time that they use our service: their level of distress more than halves.
More details of the service at: http://bit.ly/hgSn9U and of its impending closure as reported in the press at: http://bit.ly/gaxvJ5. The council’s proposals to close or cut a range of mental health and older people’s services are on the council website here: http://bit.ly/iboUAB. That document talks about duplication with other services, despite the Crisis Centre being the only instant access service staffed by qualified counsellors. NHS Improving Access to Psychological Services, mentioned as an alternative, mainly offer self-help material and brief CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) sessions for people referred by their NHS primary care mental health worker. CBT may not be appropriate for many people in crisis and could be a single session and the IAPT service cannot support people deemed ‘at risk’.
We are people who have used or valued Leeds Crisis Centre and don’t believe it should close. The council has done nothing to consult people use have used the service or to consider options other than closing it completely. Cuts may be inevitable, but they should be thought through, not arbitrary.
The campaign calls for three things:
- A full consultation with current and former service users and with GPs and others who refer people to the service.
- Consideration of cost-cutting measures (such as shrinking or moving the service) other than complete closure, which is all that is being considered at present.
- The local NHS Trust (PCT) to put funding into the service, which is used extensively by local GPs.
If you have used or valued the Crisis Centre, please email us your story to saveleedscrisiscentre@gmail.com. We would be very happy to include your story or comments as a guest blog entry, anonymously if you prefer. Or please leave a comment to show your support at the bottom of any blog entry.
Follow us on Twitter: @saveleedscrisis
Write to your MP and your councillor: www.writetothem.com. See the “Heroes and Zeroes” page to find out which MPs and councillors have supported and opposed the cuts.
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I was a member of the group back in the 1980′s that campaigned to get Leeds Crisis Centre accepted and established. The need for such a service has not diminished by the passage of time; indeed, there is a strong argument to the contrary.
With the present economic climate bringing hardship and worry to so many people it is, perhaps, inevitable that there will be consequences for individuals’ emotional and relational well-being – leading on to personal crisis.
Pressure on Health and Social Services and Counselling services means that people in need of help face long waiting lists.
This is not the time to reduce a needed service.
Leeds Crisis Centre is an invaluable resource. Mental health issues are serious problems that can have wide-ranging and debilitating affects on people and communities. These problems are not taken seriously enough. It is vital that services such as Leeds Crisis Centre stay open. They offer people with mental health problems incredible support that isn’t available elsewhere and this support enables people to work and function successfully in society. “Big society” needs Leeds Crisis Centre.
The people of Leeds without the service of the Crisis centre will suffer. I have first hand experience with the staff and the help and support they offer. It is a unique service that works for the needs of people when and where they need it. The sensitivity and cultural awareness they show is unparalleled. A person in crisis needs that immediate response that the Crisis centre can offer. It makes all the difference when there is no other support available.
Hi
There are people who still do not have access to the internet. Could you start advertising a postal address for people to send their stories to or suggest people drop in letters at the crisis centre?
Peace
Hi Oliver – That’s a good idea, but as anonymous campaign we can’t think of a way of getting their letters to us! People could send things to the Centre, which hopefully would then get to the council, but not necessarily to us!
The address of the Centre is 3, Spring Road, Headingley, Leeds, LS6 1AD
All the best
SLCC
Hi
Leeds crisis centre have pulled be back from the edge of the abyss! I tried The Samaritans, my GP and even the local Mental Health people, but none of them either could or would help. Leeds Crisis Centre saw me quickly and over the past few weeks through weekly discussion have been able to put things into some form of perspective so that I no longer see the need to end my life. It is apparent that Leeds “Bean Counting” councellors have yet to experience a real crisis in their lives. If they decide to close the Centre then I hope they will all live long enough to regret it!
Hi I’m doing a story for Leeds University about the effectiveness of the Leeds Crisis centre and how the proposed cuts have severed the partnership between the NHS and centres that provide to give mental health care to people in need, I was wondering if anyone is willing to speak to me over email or preferrably over the phone, offering their personal experiences of the centre perhaps or a opinion on why their is a feeling of betrayal surrounding these cuts
Any help would be much appreciated
Ben
my email is cs10bc@leeds.ac.uk just a summary by email would be perfect, I need some short opinions on the topic thanks again