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Mental health services

Booster Buddy

Is a free app designed to help teens and young adults improve their mental health.  Available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

CALM

If you are feeling miserable about aspects of your life call 0800 585858 or contact them via the web chat at www.thecalmzone.net available 5pm – midnight.

CAMHS

Children and young people who are experiencing difficulties that could be related to their mental health are usually first identified by a practitioner, for example by a teacher, GP, or school nurse. Similarly, parents/carers who identify that their child is experiencing difficulties will usually first seek help from services at that level. Children and young people with an identified need may be subsequently referred into specialist CAMHS services for assessment and intervention, if necessary.  Services are provided in a range of different ways and levels:

  • Practitioners working in universal services who are not mental health specialists. This includes: GPs, health visitors, school nurses, teachers and key staff within schools (e.g. pastoral care staff), social workers, and youth justice workers and voluntary agencies.  They are able to offer general advice (some can offer treatment for less severe problems) and they contribute towards mental health promotion, identify problems and can refer to more specialist services. 
  • CAMHS specialists working in teams in community and primary care settings.. They can include, mental health professionals delivering primary mental health work, counsellors working in schools and youth services, GPs who offer continued contact with patients and charities offering mental health support. They can offer consultation to families and other practitioners. They identify severe or complex needs requiring more specialist intervention, assessment, and training to practitioners.
  • Community mental health teams provide a service for children and young people with more severe, complex and persistent disorders.  Team members might include, psychiatrists, social workers, clinical psychologists, clinical associate in applied psychology (CAAP), community psychiatric nurses, paediatric physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
  • Intensive community treatment services, day units and inpatient units.  These are generally services for the small number of children and young people who are deemed to be at greatest risk (of rapidly declining mental health or serious self harm) and/or who require a period of intensive input for the purposes of assessment and/or treatment. Team members will come from the same professional groups as the community mental health teams.  A consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist or clinical psychologist is likely to have the clinical responsibility for overseeing the assessment, treatment and care for each patient. 

If you need help from the CAMHS service you should firstly speak to one of the practitioners listed above who may make a referral to one of the specialists or teams.  If you have any questions about CAMHS, please do not hesitate to contact the mental health team on 01856 888000 for further information. 

Give Us A Shout

Is for people feeling anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed.  They have a 24/7 crisis text line at giveusashout.org.

Orkney Blide Trust

Promote mental well-being in Orkney. They have a drop-In service as well as out and about and provide housing support as well as a befriending service.
Call 01856 874 874, email admin@blidetrust.org or visit their website at www.blidetrust.org.uk.

Orkney Men’s Shed

Men’s Sheds are community-run workshops with a social area. The Shed is open on Tuesdays 10.30am – 2 pm and Thursdays 5.30 – 8.30 pm for men over the age of 18.

It is a place to work and relax, pursue hobbies, share skills, have a cuppa and a chat, get out of the house for a while, and get practical help with your projects.  Find out more on the Orkney Men’s Shed Facebook group.

See Me Scotland

Online practical tools and activities for improving mental health.  Find out more at www.seemescotland.org.

Togetherall

For young people aged 16+ safe online support community for mental health.  Find out more at www.togetherall.com.