NHS’s Every Mind Matters campaign highlighted by Dr Thilan Bartholomeuz

Last week I talked about the importance of continuing to use the NHS for non-coronavirus issues like heart attack, strokes and poorly children, writes Dr Thilan Bartholomeuz.

This week I would like to focus on the importance of mental wellbeing, after it was announced we have at least another three weeks with social distancing measures in place.

Some of us will be okay with this ­— we have got some routines in place and are adjusting to a new normal.

But there will also be many of us that are feeling alone, or scared or anxious, with a feeling that everything is different.

This is normal too.

To help, the NHS’s Every Mind Matters campaign, which aims to help everyone’s mental health, has been updated with tips around how to have good mental health during coronavirus.

It has been launched after new data showed more than four in five (84.2%) Brits were worried about the effect that coronavirus was having on their life, with over half (53.1%) saying it was affecting their well-being and nearly half (46.9%) reporting high levels of anxiety.

On its website ­— www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters ­— there are tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus, if you are looking after children and young people, if you are trying to work from home and how to look after your mental wellbeing while staying at home.

If you are really struggling you can also call colleagues at Nottinghamshire Health-care NHS Foundation Trust for mental health help and advice any time of the day or night.

They have launched a new helpline ­— 0300 303 0165 ­— which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is available to anyone of any age in mental health crisis anywhere across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

You can call for mental health help and advice and they can arrange for you to speak with a mental health professional and can also advise you about other services that can help you.

For more information about mental health support in Nottinghamshire and in a crisis you can go to the website www.nottingham shirehealthcare.nhs.uk/help-in-a-crisis

If you are not in crisis but feel speaking to someone would still help, you can contact Insight Healthcare who provide talking therapies for concerns, including anxiety and low mood, across Mid Nottinghamshire.

You can find more information on their website at www.insighthealthcare.org/our-services/talking-therapies/find-a-service/mid-nottinghamshire/

This is an NHS service, so you don’t have to pay.

Please stay safe, stay home and if you have any questions check the official advice first at nhs.uk/coronavirus

l Dr Bartholomeuz is a Newark and Sherwood GP, clinical lead at Mid Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Partnership and clinical chairman of the NHS Newark and Sherwood Clinical Commissioning Group.