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This leaflet provides information about the Psychiatric Liaison Team provides assessment of mental health, and treatment of any mental health problems, to people attending a general hospital.

The information contained in this booklet is important – please keep it safe.

The Psychiatric Liaison Team provides assessment of mental health, and treatment of any mental health problems, to people attending a general hospital. Although we are employed by the mental health trust and not the general hospital, we work very closely with the general hospital team.

We aim to offer assessment within one hour of referrals from the emergency department and 24 hours for inpatient ward referrals.

We are mental health professionals: specialist medical doctors (called ‘psychiatrists’), mental health nurses, other specialist mental health professionals, and administrative staff.

We are based at:
Tranwell Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Windy Nook Road, Gateshead, NE10 9RW.

The hospital we cover is: Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

We have been asked to see you by your general hospital team, who remain the team responsible for your overall care.

  • Take part in your assessment, so that we can agree with you what needs you may have and how we might help them be met.
  • Give permission to us to speak to others (for example, your family).
  • Give permission for us to share information with others concerned with your care.
  • People who know you well, such as your family, can always speak to us; we will listen to them but will not normally share any information with them about you without your consent.

If you require an interpreter, please let your referrer know so that one can be arranged for you.

When you are seen we will always try to do the utmost possible to respect your privacy and dignity

• You can be seen in a private area, if one is available.
• You can choose whether or not a relative, friend or advocate accompanies you.
• We will encourage you to be involved in decisions about any treatment offered.

Information and a choice of possible interventions by agencies that will be able to support any plan agreed with you.

  • The plan is written in this leaflet; this may be called a care plan when it is in your medical notes.
  • Relevant information you gave to the psychiatric liaison staff will be given to the hospital team looking after you.
  • You have the right to receive copies of any letters written to your GP.

Our postal address is:
Gateshead Psychiatric Liaison Team, Tranwell Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Windy Nook Road, Gateshead, NE10 9RW.

Our telephone number is: 0191 482 0000

We use the stress bucket to explain how everyday stress can build up and up and feels too much sometimes. We try and cope the best ways that we know how.

We know that some people have more to manage in life and their buckets can often feel very full.

Different stressors drop into the bucket like water and fills it up. For example:

  • money problems
  • physical health worries
  • poor sleep
  • difficult life experiences
  • housing problems
  • loss of support or people we love
  • stress at work or stress due to having no job

When the bucket gets too full it overflows.

We try to cope the best way we know how. Sometimes these strategies can work in the short term but longer term may cause problems and be harmful.

Less helpful or harmful coping:

  • Alcohol or drugs
  • Self harm
  • Avoiding things or people
  • Putting others needs first
  • Shouting or aggression

We can find ways to cope in more helpful ways.

Some coping that may be more helpful:

  • Speaking to friends and family
  • Moving my body, walking
  • Asking for help
  • Reading
  • Doing things I enjoy

The Stress Bucket by Brabban and Turkington (2002). For a copy of the stress bucket please telephone 0191 482 0000

  1. What stress has been coming into my bucket in the last few days
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  2. What is already in my bucket that feels stressful?
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  3. What are my less helpful or harmful ways of coping?
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  4. What ways might help me cope better with my stress?
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Thinking about what your stressors are and how they impact you can help you make plans to keep yourself safe in the future.

What are my triggers and warning signs that my stress/ distress is overflowing?

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Getting through right now. What will help me in the next few minutes and hours? What do I need?

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Making the situation safer. Can I make the situation safer around me e.g., not having more medication around than I need.

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What lifts my mood?

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What calms me down?

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What distracts me?

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Who are the people that support me?
Family/Friends

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Professionals

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Emergency Professional support

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More information is available at Stayingsafe.net

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  • Your GP/family doctor:
     
  • Community Mental Health Team:
     
  • Social Workers:
     
  • Other useful contacts:
     

If you need urgent mental health advice you can contact the Initial Response/Crisis Team at any time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. You’ll speak to a mental health professional who will listen and help you find the right support.

If you are Deaf or have communication difficulties, you can contact us in a crisis by:

The crisis team does not provide an emergency service such as a 999 response.

Hub of Hope
www.chasingthestigma.co.uk
If you or a loved one is struggling with any mental health concern, contact Hub of Hope, to find the most relevant and readily available support near you, when you need it.

Shout
Shout 85258 is a 24/7 UK text messaging service for times when people feel they need immediate support. Struggling to cope? Text SHOUT to 85258.

Calm Harm App
The urge to self-harm is like a wave. Learn to ride the wave with the free Calm Harm app using these activities: Comfort, Distract, Express Yourself, Release, Random and Breathe.

Papyrus – prevention of young suicide
Freephone: 0800 0684 141 open 24/7 or text 0786 003 9967.

Changing Lives
www.changing-lives.org.uk
A nationwide charity helping people facing challenging times to make positive change.

The Silver Line Helpline
www.thesilverline.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 4 70 80 90
A free confidential telephone support for older people, provided by Age UK.

If U Care Share
www.ifuchareshare.co.uk
Telephone: 0191 387 5661
Provide a range of services fundamental to our three main aims of prevention, intervention and supporting those bereaved by suicide.

Anxious Minds
www.anxiousminds.co.uk
You can drop-in anytime for a cup of coffee and a chat at our Recovery Centres and everyone who registers for Counselling gets an assessment appointment within a couple of weeks.

Recovery College Collective – ReCoCo Newcastle
www.recoverycoco.com
Peer-led educational courses, workshops and recovery support.

SomeOne Cares
www.someonecares.org.uk
Telephone: 0191 257 8094
SomeOne Cares offers a free counselling service for survivors of abuse, specialising in childhood sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault.

Cruse Bereavement Support
www.cruse.org.uk/get-help
Helpline: 0808 808 1677
Grief is a natural process, but it we know it can be devastating. You are not alone. We are here to support you.

Gateshead Domestic Abuse Team – Gateshead Council
For advice and support, please contact our Domestic Abuse 24 hour helpline 0191 433 3333.

Andy’s Man Club
www.andysmanclub.co.uk
At Andy’s Man club is a judgment-free, confidential space where men can be open about the storms in their lives. We aim to achieve this through weekly, free to attend peer-to-peer support groups for men aged over 18.

NHS Talking Therapies Gateshead
Telephone: 0191 283 2541 or online at www.gatesheadtalkingtherapies.nhs.uk
Talking therapies are effective and confidential treatments delivered by fully trained and accredited NHS practitioners. They can help with common mental health problems like stress, anxiety and depression.

You can access talking therapies for free on the NHS.

You can refer yourself directly to an NHS talking therapies service without a referral from a GP, or a GP can refer you.

Gateshead Autism Hub
Email: gatesheadautismhubs@daisychainproject.co.uk
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0191 478 2619
Monthly drops at Gateshead Autism Hubs are available to anyone with an interest in autism – including family members of autistic people, professionals, practitioners and individuals with autism whether they have a diagnosis or not.

Basis@336 (Oasis Aquila Housing)
Telephone: 0191 499 8020
Help and support for those experiencing homelessness.

Citizens Advice Gateshead
Telephone: 0808 278 7902
Email: advice@citizensadvicegateshead.org.uk

Gateshead Carers Association
Telephone: 0191 490 0121
​​​​​​​Email: enquiries@gatesheadcarers.com
We believe that no carer should feel alone, and that it is vital all unpaid carers feel supported in their caring role, or feel supported to stop providing care, if that’s what they choose.

Gateshead Women’s Refuge and Advice
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0191 477 9309
Advice, support and refuge accommodation for women experiencing domestic violence. Basic legal advice, help with welfare benefits and housing issues. Telephone support and advice for women living in the community.

24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline
Telephone: 0808 2000 247
Support for women who are are experiencing domestic abuse.

Men’s Advice Line
Telephone: 0808 801 0327
Men’s Advice Line provides confidential support for any man experiencing domestic violence or abuse.

REACH (Rape, Examination, Advice and Counselling Help)
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0191 221 9222
Free, confidential counselling, support and advice service for women aged 16 and over.

Gateshead Council’s Homeless Service
​​​​​​​Freephone number: 0800 953 7112 – 24 hours a day​​​​​​​
If you are homeless or think you may be threatened with homelessness please contact our Housing Options Team.

Mental Health Matters
Telephone: 0191 490 0579
​​​​​​​Email: info@mhm.org.uk
Pathways Advice and Information Gateshead

Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0800 0119 100
A safe space for anyone to discuss anything, including sexuality, gender identity, sexual health and emotional well-being.

Streetwise
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0191 230 5400
Streetwise Young People’s Project is a multi award-winning regional Charity, providing essential support services for young people aged 11 – 25 years since 1991.

SANEline services
​​​​​​​Telephone: 0300 304 7000
National out-of-hours mental health helpline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. We are normally open every day of the year from 4pm to 10pm.

Drug and Alcohol ServicesGateshead Recovery Partnership
Contact them on 0191 594 7821 or grp.referrals@cgl.org.uk

Positive Futures – Children and Young People Drug and Alcohol services
Telephone: 0191 460 1354
​​​​​​​Email: gatesheadyp.info@cgl.org.uk

We will usually only see you if you have given your explicit consent. Similarly, you are free to opt out of seeing us at any time. Anything you say is treated in strictest confidence and will only be shared with other members of the team and with other people involved in your health care, such as your GP.

Members of the team work within professional Codes of Conduct and follow NHS Policies that ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times.  The only exception to this would be if the Team believed that there was a significant risk you would seriously harm yourself or others, or information was obtained about possible harm to vulnerable people such as children.

If you have any concerns at all about confidentiality please speak to any member of the team.

There is a range of patient and carer information on the Trust’s website.

Resource library
This includes information on mental health and wellbeing, medicines, side-effects and how to manage them, and mental health act information leaflets in 28 languages.

Carer resources
A range of useful information and support resources for carers.

Self help guides
We have 23 self help guides written by NHS clinical psychologists with contributions from service users and healthcare staff. Titles cover Depression and Low Mood, Stress, Controlling Anger, Panic, Sleeping Problems, Anxiety and many more.

If you want to make a comment, suggestion, compliment or complaint you can:

We are always looking at ways to improve services. Your feedback allows us to monitor the quality of our services and act upon issues that you bring to our attention.  

You can provide feedback in the following ways:

  • the quickest way for you to do this is to complete our short online survey at www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourvoice
  • complete a Your Voice survey, available on wards, reception areas or from staff 
  • other options for sharing your feedback and experience www.cntw.nhs.uk/yourfeedback

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns that you may have about any aspect of your or your loved one's care.

We act independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate prompt solutions. If necessary, we can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

North of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 032 0202
Email: pals@nhct.nhs.uk
Post: FREEPOST PALS

South of Tyne
Telephone: 0800 328 4397
Text: 07825 061 035
Email: pals@cntw.nhs.uk
Post: Patient Advice and Liaison Service, Garden Lodge, Hopewood Park, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0NB

9.00am – 4.30pm, Monday to Friday
An answerphone is available at all times for you to leave a message. A member of the PALS team will aim to return your call as soon as possible.

Further information about the content, reference sources or production of this leaflet can be obtained from the Patient Information Centre. If you would like to tell us what you think about this leaflet please get in touch.

This information can be made available in a range of formats on request (Braille, audio, larger print, easy read, BSL or other languages). Please contact the Patient Information Centre on 0191 246 7288.

Published by the Patient Information Centre
2025 Copyright: Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Ref: PIC/774/1025 October 2025 V10
Review date 2026

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk