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Your doctor (GP)

Your doctor (GP) can provide a range of services including:

Contact your doctor straight away if you have concerns about your physical or mental health.

Community mental health teams

Community mental health teams can help people with a mental health illness live in the community with support. This could be on a day-to-day basis or support at times when a person may need it. These teams may include:

Community mental health teams can take care of your health and social needs.

Care co-ordinators

If you have different elements to your care, for example you see a psychiatrist, counsellor, doctor and social worker, you may have access to a care co-ordinator, sometimes known as a keyworker or case manager.

This person will talk to all the different professionals and be a single person for you to talk to and support you. Care co-ordinators will be a member of the community mental health team and will draw up a care plan with you. You should be given a copy of your care plan. 

Community mental health nurses

Community mental health nurses are registered nurses who are trained in mental health and can:

Community mental health nurses can specialise in working with older people, children or people with drug or alcohol problems.

Counsellors

Counsellors provide a 'talking therapy' where you will be invited to talk about your thoughts and feelings; the counsellor will then discuss with you ways of coping. Counselling can also be provided by:

There is generally a waiting list for counselling services on the National Health Service (NHS) but there are voluntary organisations that also offer talking treatments - ask your doctor (GP) or community mental health team for details.

There are private treatments available. You can contact the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) for details of professional therapists.

• Find a counsellor on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy website Opens new window

Health visitors

Health visitors are qualified nurses with specialist training who work in the community. They help people with a mental illness to continue to live in their home. Health visitors can:

Psychiatrists and psychologists

A psychiatrist mainly deals with the physical aspect of mental health, for example drug therapy. Psychiatrists often work closely with psychologists and counsellors, who could discuss your thoughts and feelings and work out coping strategies with you.

Social workers

Social workers can offer you advice on practical matters like accommodation and financial support such as benefits. Some social workers are specially trained in mental health and can offer counselling.

Approved social workers

Approved social workers have undergone special training and can carry out some tasks under the Mental Health Act (1983) such as recommending a compulsory hospital stay.

Approved social workers also have a particular duty to look at alternatives to hospitalisation, for example by looking at the range of community care available that may allow the person with a mental illness to stay in their community.

• The Mental Health Act