A new drop-in hub that will transform mental health support in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area has been officially declared open.
Access Wellbeing Boscombe, in Palmerston Road, will offer free, walk-in support and advice from Monday to Friday.
The service will support people to enhance their overall wellbeing, helping to improve their mental health.
Trained wellbeing co-ordinators will also offer assistance on education, training, employment, benefits and financial matters.
Advice will be available on key issues such as support for carers, social connections and strategies for coping with bereavement and grief.
Bournemouth East MP Tom Hayes, pictured left, officially opened Access Wellbeing Boscombe.
It is managed by south west-based charitable housing association BCHA, working in partnership with Help & Care, The Lantern Trust, NHS Dorset and Dorset HealthCare alongside other charities and voluntary sector organisations.
The opening of the Boscombe hub follows the successful roll-out of similar mental health and wellbeing support services: Access Wellbeing Poole and Access Wellbeing Weymouth and Portland.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Lorraine Mealings, CEO of BCHA, said: “Access Wellbeing Boscombe represents a landmark in the transformation of mental health support services across Dorset.
“BCHA is delighted to be delivering this game-changing approach, in partnership with organisations that are committed to offering an enhanced level of mental health and wellbeing support in the heart of our communities.”
Access Wellbeing is a partnership between the NHS, councils, charities and community groups who work together to help people when and where they need it – with a strong focus on supporting people in their community.
Rachel Small, Interim Chief Operating Officer at Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to open the doors to Access Wellbeing Boscombe, which represents a milestone in our transformative approach to the way people in the BCP area can access immediate mental health and wellbeing support.”
Other services and groups will be using the hub at different times, including NHS mental health services, local mental health charities, advice services and social prescribers.
Access Wellbeing Boscombe can be found at 3-5 Palmerston Road, Bournemouth BH1 4HN.
No appointment is needed – simply call into the hub from Monday to Friday, between 9.30am and 4.30pm.
Here’s Bournemouth East MP @TomHayesBmouth opening the new Access Wellbeing Boscombe facility today – a new walk-in mental health and wellbeing support service for the BCP area.
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