The Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale living well service launched in a phased approach between August 2023 and November 2024.
We support adults aged 18+, registered with a GP in Heywood, Middleton or Rochdale, experiencing severe mental illness. This can include, but isn’t limited to:
- Psychosis
- Bipolar disorder
- ‘Personality disorder’ diagnosis (also know as complex, emotional and relational needs)
- Severe depression
In our first 18 months, we supported over 3,000 people. Find out more about some of the people supported by our team and living well colleagues in other boroughs (click on the patient case study drop down arrow).
Referrals are via any professional – for example, GPs, health and social care, education, police and the probation service.
The service unites mental health professionals, pharmacy colleagues, local GPs and primary care colleagues, voluntary sector staff from Rochdale and District Mind and Turning Point, adult care professionals from Rochdale Council, officers from Greater Manchester Police, talking therapy practitioners from The Big Life Group, experts in homelessness, substance misuse, employment, benefits and many others.
As part of the biggest-ever transformation of community mental health services, this is the first time so many different services have worked together as a true partnership. And people with lived experience of mental health issues have shaped every step of the service’s development.
Our goal is to make services more joined-up, accessible, and consistent - ensuring patients, carers, and families quickly and easily receive the right support.
With our “no wrong door” approach, we’re supporting people who might not previously have received help because their issues were too complex for primary care but not complex enough for specialist mental health services.
By providing early support by the right professional, we can improve people’s recovery and experience and reduce demand on GPs and referrals to specialist and hospital mental health services.
The service is for:
- People aged 18+
- Registered with a GP in Heywood, Middleton or Rochdale
- Experiencing severe mental illness (see examples above)
If you meet these criteria, any professional can refer you to our service.
If you’re a professional who would like to refer someone, contact our team on 01706 676 100 (unfortunately we can’t accept self-referrals from patients).
When your referral is sent to the living well service, it’ll be discussed during a living well team huddle. These meetings usually happen twice a week and involve lots of different professionals coming together including:
- Different types of mental health and psychology professionals
- A pharmacist
- Social workers
- Employment support
- Financial support, including benefits
- Specialist support for rough sleepers
- Life coaches
- Police
- Domestic abuse support
- Substance misuse support
They’ll look at your referral to see what your needs are and discuss which professional or service can best meet your needs.
Someone will get in touch with you, or your referrer, to discuss the plan.
Where needed, advice, support and education will be provided to families and carers.
Professionals and people already being supported by the living well team can phone 01706 676 100.
If you’d like to be referred to the service, please ask your GP or another professional (unfortunately we can't accept self-referrals).