Newsletter 6: Mental Health Services
June 2026
Welcome to the sixth of a series of newsletters about making the best use of local health services
These newsletters have been produced in partnership with the Practice’s Patient Participation Group.
This newsletter focuses on the Mental Health Services you can refer yourself to without needing to make a GP appointment first.
Use the links in each section below (underlined) to find more information.
Mental Health Services for Adults
Access Mental Health – Supporting you in a Crisis
Access Mental Health offers a range of services to help people who are struggling to cope or feel they are nearing a breakdown.
More information can be found on Dorset Healthcare’s website at: Access Mental Health.
You don’t need to be referred by your GP - you can just reach out for help when you need it.
You can get help by:
- Phone: Call Connection on 0800 652 0190 (available for people of all ages)
Connection is a free, round-the-clock telephone helpline for people of all ages, anywhere in Dorset, who are experiencing mental health problems and needs support.
Connection can also be accessed via NHS 111 for free.
Further information about the service can be found on Dorset Healthcare’s website at: Connection 24/7 Mental Health Helpline.
- In Person: Visit The Retreat for face-to-face support, (available for adults aged 18+)
The Retreat provides a safe space for anyone aged 18 or above to seek face-to-face help and support from Registered Mental Health Practitioners and Peer Specialists with lived experience. The Retreat is delivered in partnership by Dorset HealthCare and Dorset Mental Health Forum.
The Retreat has two sites, one in Bournemouth and one in Weymouth.
Further details about The Retreat, including opening times, can be found on Dorset HealthCare’s website at: The Retreat.
- In Person: Visit one of the Community Front Rooms for face-to-face support, (available for adults aged 18+)
Community Front Rooms are welcoming, informal, safe spaces for anyone aged 18 or above to seek face-to-face help. They are staffed by Mental Health Support Workers who can provide advice and support to help people find solutions to aid their recovery. But please note that they are not able to offer medication or structured therapy.
Community Front Rooms are provided by BCHA, a charitable housing Association, working in partnership with other local charities, and are currently delivered in three locations across Dorset: Bridport, Dorchester and Shaftesbury.
Further information about Community Front Rooms, including opening times, can be found on Dorset HealthCare’s website at: Community Front Rooms.
- Online: Access a Community Front Room for a virtual face-to-face meeting (available for adults aged 18+)
You can also access the Community Front Rooms online via Attend Anywhere for a virtual face-to-face meeting with one of the team members, by choosing the Community Front Room nearest to you. More information about how to access this service can be found on Dorset Healthcare’s website at: Access Mental Health and at: Community Front Rooms.
Steps2Wellbeing - guided support and self-help
Steps2Wellbeing provides free, NHS Talking Therapies to support adults aged 18+ with common mental wellbeing problems, like depression and anxiety. Steps2Wellbeing is part of Dorset HealthCare.
Steps2Wellbeing offers a range of Talking Therapies, including counselling, online courses, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and guided self-help,
Steps2Wellbeing also provides:
- A dedicated Body and Mind Service to support people with long-term health conditions manage their mental wellbeing.
- An Employment Advice Service to help people who are experiencing work related issues like work stress, conflict and burnout that are having a negative effect on their mental health. Their Employment Advisors can also support people with maternity leave, retirement, changing careers and redundancy. They can also help people whose mental health is negatively affecting their ability to work.
You can find more information about Steps2Wellbeing and how to refer yourself to the service at: Steps2Wellbeing. You can also ask your GP to make the referral.
Access Wellbeing – supporting your wellbeing and mental health
Access Wellbeing is the new approach to community mental health and wellbeing support in Dorset. It is a partnership between the NHS and the voluntary sector, working together with other organisations across the community. It provides different types of support depending on each person’s need, including easy access to early help with the issues that can impact your mental health and wellbeing.
The Access Wellbeing hubs and drop-in services offer a welcoming space to find support and advice. They are open to anyone aged 18 and over, with no appointment needed, and are staffed by friendly Wellbeing Coordinators who can take the time to listen, then help people to find support in a range of areas, including:
- Mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Practical worries, such as money, housing or work
- Support for carers
- Social connections and activities.
More information about the service can be found at: Access Wellbeing Dorset - including information about the Community Drop-in Space provided at The Focus Centre in Swanage.
Mental Health Services for Children and Young People
Dorset Youth’s Mental Health Hub
Dorset Youth’s Mental Health Hub provides information about all the services available in Dorset to help children and young people aged under 18 experiencing problems with their mental health, including information about how to access help in an emergency.
It also includes information about the RUOK? (Are you OK?) Campaign, which aims to ensure that children and young people in Dorset always know where they can go to get support in a way that works best for them:
- Call: Children and young people can phone NHS Connection, the free 24/7 Mental Health Helpline, on 0800 652 0190. Samaritans are also always on hand to listen on 116 123.
- Text: Children and young people can get free, confidential mental health support any time, day or night, by texting SHOUT to 85258 - this is a free confidential text messaging service.
- Chat: Young people aged 11 to 18 years can also get free, safe and anonymous online wellbeing support at kooth.com, a wellbeing community with live chat.
- Search: Children and young people can find more local support with their mental health and emotional wellbeing at Dorset Youth's Mental Health Hub.
CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
CAMHS offers specialist support to children and young people aged up to the age of 18 (and their families/carers) who are suffering significant mental health difficulties. More information about the services offered can be found on the Dorset HealthCare website at: CAMHS.
The CAMHS Gateway acts as the “Front Door” to the service in Dorset - young people aged 16 to 18 years can refer themselves to the service by completing the. CAMHS self-referral form.