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This leaflet provides information about the Psychiatric Liaison Team. We carry out 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 are mental health professionals: specialist medical doctors (called ‘psychiatrists’), registered mental health nurses, clinical psychologists, other specialist mental health professionals, and administrative staff.

We are a 24 hour service based at Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH).

The hospitals we cover are:

  • Alnwick Infirmary
  • Berwick Infirmary
  • Blyth Community Hospital
  • Haltwhistle War Memorial Hospital
  • Hexham General Hospital
  • North Tyneside Hospital
  • Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital (NSECH)
  • Wansbeck General 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.

  • 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.

  • An appointment to see us again, in the near future.
  • 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.
  • 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:
Psychiatric Liaison Team
Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital
Northumbria Way
Cramlington
Northumberland
NE23 6NZ

Our telephone number is: 0191 607 2171

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 607 2171

  1. What stress has been coming into my bucket in the last few days
    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  2. What is already in my bucket that feels stressful?
    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  3. What are my less helpful or harmful ways of coping?
    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  4. What ways might help me cope better with my stress?
    _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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?

 

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

 

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

 

What lifts my mood?

 

What calms me down?

 

What distracts me?

 

Who are the people that support me?

Family/Friends

 

Professionals

 

Emergency Professional support

 

More information is available at Stayingsafe.net

  • 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.

Nationwide

Anxiety UK: 0344 477 5774 or Text 07537 416 905 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm)
A national charity helping people with anxiety.

CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight, 365 days a year)
Campaign Against Living Miserably, mental health support whatever you are facing.

Combat Stress (Veterans): 0800 138 1619 (24hr)
Mental Health Services for Veterans

Crisis Text Line: Text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 (24hr)
A free confidential 24/7 messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs support.

Ifucareshare: 0191 287 5661 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm) www.ifucareshare.co.uk
Listen and support emotional well-being in young people and those affected by suicide.

Mind: 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm)
We’re Mind, the mental health charity. We’re here to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.

Rape Crisis Helpline: 0800 035 2794 (Mon-Thurs 6pm-8.30pm, Fri 11am-2pm)
Help and support after rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse or any form of sexual violence.

Samaritans: 116 123
Works to make sure there’s always someone there for anyone who needs someone. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

SANEline: 0300 304 7000 (4.30pm-10.30pm 365 days a year)
Provides an out-of-hours helpline offering emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness.

Someone Cares: 0191 257 8094
A free counselling service for survivors and supporters of abuse, specialising in childhood sexual abuse, rape and sexual assault.

 

Northumberland

Carers Northumberland: 01670 320 025
A charity which provides information and advice to unpaid carers. They can support carers in accessing help for the person they care for, reduce their feelings of social isolation and empowering them to have a voice.

Northumberland County Council (Housing): 0345 600 6400
Provide information about housing services and benefits, and guidance for landlords and tenants.

Northumberland Recovery Partnership: 01670 798 200
A dedicated service for anyone experiencing problems with drugs and alcohol.

NHS Northumberland Talking Therapies: 0300 3030 700
Offers free psychological treatment for people aged 16 and over who have a GP in Northumberland. Provides one-to-one talking therapy for depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health related problems. Also offer Couples Therapy for Depression.

Safe Haven: 01670 336 139 (2pm-10pm, 365 days a year)
Compassionate, practical, out-of-hours support for people over 18+ years in mental health crisis in Northumberland. Address: The Bothy, 14 Laburnum Terrace, Ashington, Northumberland, NE63 0XX.
Website: www.everyturn.org/crisis-support/safe-havens

Social Services: 01670 536 400

 

North Tyneside

Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (under 18): 0191 219 6685

Cruse Bereavement: 0191 276 5533
Provide bereavement support and information.

Housing Advice: 0191 643 2520 (Out of Hours 0191 200 6800)

North Tyneside Carers’ Centre: 0191 643 2298
Provide a confidential support service to carers, from information, advice and guidance to emotional support and training, we’re here.

North Tyneside Recovery Partnership: 0191 640 0180
NTRP is a dedicated service for anyone in North Tyneside, who is experiencing problems with drugs and/or alcohol. The service does not have any age restrictions therefore is able to provide support to those of all ages. We are here to help you get well and stay well.

NHS North Tyneside Talking Therapies: 0191 295 2775
We provide evidence-based psychological treatment for anyone experiencing a common mental health condition that impacts on their daily life. These may include stress, depression, anxiety, panic, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress. We can also provide specialist support for people with long-term conditions such as COPD, heart disease and diabetes to help with anxiety and/or depression related to this.

Social Services: 0191 643 2777

Safe Haven: 0191 217 3203 (2pm to 10pm, 365 days a year)
Compassionate, practical, out-of-hours support for people over 18+ years in mental health crisis in North Tyneside. Address: The Anchorage, 80-84 Park Road, Wallsend, North Tyneside, NE28 6QY.
Website: www.everyturn.org/crisis-support/safe-havens

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/782/1025 October 2025 V11
Review date 2027

Website: www.cntw.nhs.uk