Time to Talk Day took place on Thursday 1 February and is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation. Happening every year, it’s a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives.
All NHS Lanarkshire employees have access to confidential counselling support.
‘The Talking Rooms’ which provides an independent counselling service that can provide face-to-face or telephone support for psychological, emotional and practical issues. This is funded by the NHS Lanarkshire endowments team.
Nicola Ball and Cate Smith from the Talking Rooms, along with their team, have been working with NHS Lanarkshire employees and have reported the staff have gained great benefit from the service which has been echoed by staff and managers alike. Some of the positive feedback that has been received includes:
- “Speed of referral”
- “Being able to speak without being judged”
- “they were a safe space to talk about the things that were troubling me”
- “Friends and family have noted the difference in me and how I appear to be happier…”
- “Getting to talk to someone about my issues who is not directly involved in my life”
The team is made up professional counsellors, allowing all NHS Lanarkshire staff to access counselling sessions within five days of referral. Staff can access sessions, in person or online as well as having a dedicated help line where you can reach a counsellor at any time. All sessions are completely confidential, and your referral is also confidential.
The Talking Rooms are committed to supporting the wellbeing of all your employees and offer short-term (4 sessions) counselling and solution focused therapy as evidenced-based interventions, which are shown to help people to cope with their issues and build resilience. Over the course of 2023 they have supported 1000 employees from NHS Lanarkshire.
To access the service, call: 0800 138 9150 or via their referral portal https://www.thetalkingrooms.com/self-referral/.
Details of further support for staff can be accessed from Your Health Matters webpage at https://www.nhslanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk/your-health-matters/
