You can call NHS 111 Mental Health if you need urgent mental health support (such as feeling mentally unsafe or severely distressed).
Phone 111 - and select mental health option 2.
Your local NHS 111 Mental Health team is for people of all ages. It’s available 24/7, free of charge and you can call for yourself or someone else.
A practitioner will listen and help you get the urgent support you need. With your permission, they can access your notes if you’ve previously received mental health support. This will reduce you having to repeat information and allow our team to provide better support.
NHS 111 Mental Health is not an emergency service. In emergency situations where there’s an immediate risk to life, or you need urgent physical care, you should contact 999 or go to A&E.
People in Oldham and the Wigan borough can now access urgent NHS mental health support via text message.
The service will be rolled out to other Greater Manchester boroughs in phases, with timescales to be confirmed.
Who can use the service
If you're registered with a GP in Oldham or Wigan and are experiencing a mental health crisis – for example, if you feel mentally unsafe or severely distressed – you can get urgent support by text message.
- Text: 07480 635134 or visit the ChatHealth website and search @GMChatMentalHealth.
- Available: 7am to 7pm
The service is available to people of all ages. It is free, secure and confidential, and you can text on behalf of yourself or someone else.
How it works
When you text 07480 635134 between 7am and 7pm, you’ll be connected to a trained mental health practitioner from your local team. They aim to respond within four hours. If you text after 5pm, you may receive a response the next day.
The practitioner will support you through text messages and help you get the urgent care you need. With your permission, they can access your patient notes if you’ve previously received mental health support. This will reduce you having to repeat information and help them provide better, more joined‑up care.
About the service
This service is part of the Greater Manchester NHS 111 Mental Health team, delivered by Pennine Care, Greater Manchester Mental Health, and local voluntary, community and social enterprise partners. It's supported by ChatHealth, provided by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust.
Important information
This is not an emergency service. If there's an immediate risk to life, or you need urgent physical healthcare, please call 999 or go to A&E.
You can still access urgent mental health support 24 hours a day, free of charge, by calling NHS 111 and selecting mental health option 2, or by visiting NHS 111 online.
Community crisis spaces and other urgent mental health support options are also available across Greater Manchester.
You can access NHS 111 Mental Health online and get help from 111 in other ways.
This includes if you are deaf or hard of hearing, or you need help in another language, including British Sign Language.
If you've used the NHS 111 Mental Health you can share your experience by completing this survey.
The feedback will help NHS England identify where improvements can be made to better meet the needs of people experiencing a mental health crisis.
Other helplines and crisis services:
Each borough in Greater Manchester has a safe space for you to call in for immediate mental health support and a listening ear.
These are run by local voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations.
Visit the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership website for details.
Call 116 123 (freephone) if you need to talk to someone urgently about how you are feeling.
You can also visit the Samaritans website for more information.
NHS and social care workers:
Samaritans also run a confidential support line for NHS and social care staff, from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week: 0800 069 6222
Papyrus runs a listening service if you’re under 35 and may be having thoughts of suicide.
Call: 08000 684141
Text: 07786 209 697
Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org
Sign language: Hopeline247 British sign language support
Open 24/7 hours, including bank holidays.
Call 0300 304 7000 for emotional support and information if you’re affected by mental illness. This includes if you’re a family member, friend or carer.
The Silver Line Helpline, run by Age UK, is a telephone service specifically for older people aged 55 and over.
Whether you're feeling lonely, need to access support or just want to chat, our friendly team is ready to answer your call.
Call 0800 4 70 80 90 for free.
If you are down or have hit a wall for any reason, you can ring the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) helpline to talk or find support.
Call: 0800 58 58 58
National Suicide Helpline UK offers a supportive listening service to anyone in the UK with thoughts of suicide or self harm. They are open from 6pm to midnight.
Call: 0800 689 5652
If you have served or are currently serving in the UK Armed Forces, you can call Combat Stress’ 24-hour mental health helplines.
Veterans and their families can call: 0800 138 1619
You can also text on 07537 173683 and email helpline@combatstress.org.uk Standard charges may apply for texts, please check with your provider.
The helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Samaritans helpline:
Samaritans also offer wellbeing support line for health and care colleagues, which you can call on 116 123.
This website aims to support anyone who is thinking about suicide or who has been affected by it. Click on these links to see what help is available:
There's a strong link between debt and mental health problems, with a number of people referring to us in need of debt advice.
You can get free debt advice from the Money Advice Service and find helplines on their website.
Gambling harms are the negative effects that happen to someone after gambling. They can affect any and every aspect of life - mental and physical health, money, relationships, education, or work.
If you’re worried about gambling, for yourself or someone you know, these links have more information about gambling harms and where to get support and treatment:
Safeline is a dedicated helpline and online support, advice and information for male survivors of sexual violence. Free professional trauma-informed counselling service for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and for those who support them aged 16+ living in England and Wales.
Open Monday-Friday: 9am-8pm. Saturday and Sunday: 10am-2pm
Call 0808 800 5005
Visit their website: www.safeline.org.uk