External support services and helplines

Vivup – Employee Assistance Programme

Your 24/7 telephone and online support service, provided by a team of mental health support specialists, led by clinicians with over 45 years of experience.

The Vivup team are available to listen and support with any and all personal issues, from day to day challenges at home, to mounting pressures in the workplace.

The team can offer help and advice as well as differing levels of support to employees, including a confidential telephone helpline open all day every day, face to face counselling, online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) workbooks and additional support and training services. You can access up to six sessions including the provision of CBT.

MindOut – LGBTQ+ Mental Health Service

MindOut is a project run by and for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer people. MindOut staff, volunteers and board of trustees, are all LGBTQ and believe that sharing this identity is essential to their work. All the services are confidential, independent and impartial.

Samaritans

This is a confidential staff support line, operated by Samaritans, and is free to access from 7am – 11pm, seven days a week. If you have had a tough day at work, feeling worried or a little overwhelmed, whatever your worries are, trained advisers are available to help with signposting and confidential listening.

British Medical Association (BMA)

Free 24/7 support for Medical Staff

Free and confidential 24/7 counselling line and peer support service open to all doctors and medical students on 0330 123 1245. There is always someone you can talk to.

Other resources to support wellbeing are available via the BMA website.

Southdown – Brighton & Hove Recovery College

Offer educational courses as a route to recovery from mental health challenges. Courses focusing on recovery and self-management skills in a range in length from one-day workshops to longer courses running over several weeks, on subjects such as ‘Exploring Relaxation’ and ‘Managing Anxiety’.

SHOUT text service

Access the confidential, text support service. If you need someone to talk to, you can access support by texting FRONTLINE to 85258 for support 24/7. This service is available to all NHS colleagues who have had a tough day, who are feeling worried or overwhelmed, or who have a lot on their mind and need to talk it through.

Staying Well Services

Staying Well services in Sussex offer support to people who are at risk of going into crisis. You can contact and refer yourself directly to a Staying Well Service in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex, and access the service alongside any care you might be receiving. 

Staying Well in Brighton and Hove

For out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention support:

Call: 0800 0236475
Email: [email protected]
Visit: Staying Well space

Opening hours: 
Weekdays – 5.30pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 3.30pm to 10.30pm

Staying Well in Crawley

For out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention support: 

Call: 07920 387274
Email: [email protected] 
Visit: Richmond Fellowship

Opening Hours:
Weekdays – 5pm to 11pm
Weekends – 3pm to 11pm

Staying Well in Eastbourne

For out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention support: 

Call: 0800 0236475
Email: [email protected]  
Visit: Staying Well Space  

Opening hours:
Weekdays – 4pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 3pm to 10.30pm

Staying Well in Worthing

For out-of-hours mental health crisis prevention support: 

Call: 01903 268107
Email: [email protected] 
Visit: Mind West Sussex website

Opening Hours:
Weekdays – 5pm to 10.30pm
Weekends – 12pm to 10.30pm

Hospice UK – Bereavement Support Line

This support line is operated by Hospice UK and is free to access from 8am – 10pm, seven days a week. A team of fully qualified and trained bereavement specialists are here to support you with bereavement and wellbeing issues relating to loss experiences through your work.

NHS England – Confidential text support service

If you need someone to talk to, NHS England have introduced a confidential text support service, you can access support by texting FRONTLINE to 85258 for support 24/7.  This service is available to all our NHS colleagues who have had a tough day, who are feeling worried or overwhelmed, or who have a lot on their mind and need to talk it through.