A NEW community wellbeing hub for those experiencing mild or lower level mental health problems is launched in Worcestershire today (Monday May 16) to coincide with national Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs from May 16-22.

The Wellbeing Hub is being run by Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust’s Healthy Minds service in partnership with Community First, and provides information and signposting for people over the age of 16 who are struggling with conditions like anxiety, stress, low mood, worry or depression.

It is the first of its kind in Worcestershire and aims to connect people with the range of courses and groups available across the county run by local non-NHS community providers, for example voluntary organisations or charities.

It is estimated that around one in four of us will experience stress, anxiety, worry and depression at any one time. Often they are related to issues at work, money troubles or relationship problems, but they can also be linked to bereavement or drug and alcohol use.

The Wellbeing Hub is a single number or email address which will be available Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm and will be manned by wellbeing assistants who will help people get in touch with the help and support relevant to them.

Anyone over the age of 16 can contact the hub during its opening hours and you don’t need to be referred from another healthcare professional. However the hub is not there to support people who are experiencing more serious mental health problems or who are in crisis.

Simona Stokes, clinical manager for the trust’s Healthy Minds service said: “We are really pleased to be launching the Wellbeing Hub with our partners from Community First which will help more people get support they need early, to prevent these sorts of problems escalating and becoming more serious.

“We know there is a huge resource out there in Worcestershire with lots of support provided by local community groups and organisations which complement the statutory NHS services already available.

“The hub will make accessing this community support so much easier, so instead of people spending time trying to source things themselves, by calling one simple number we can do that hard work for them.”

How to access the Wellbeing Hub.

• Call 01905 766124: e-mail WHCNHS.wellbeinghub@nhs.net or visit www.hacw.nhs.uk/wellbeinghub

• The Hub is open Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm.

The Wellbeing Hub is part of the Worcestershire Healthy Minds service which was launched in 2015. It also provides NHS courses, including talking therapies, for those who might benefit from them. People can self-refer onto some of these via the website www.hacw.nhs.uk/healthyminds.