Funding boost to support young people in mental health crises in Surrey | News centre

Young people in Surrey have praised the support they receive from a local charity after they attend A&E departments because of self-harm, a suicide attempt or emotional crisis.

Following a recent funding boost from the Surrey All Age Mental Health Investment Fund (MHIF), the charity has released impressive data and inspiring case studies on the invaluable care it provides.

Emerge Advocacy is based in Royal Surrey, East Surrey and Epsom Hospitals, supporting people aged 10-25 years old. Trained staff and volunteers offer positive distraction and emotional care between 7pm-11pm when many other services are closed, and hospital staff are very busy.

The support is purposely non-clinical with youth workers being with young people doing anything from colouring, to playing games or talking about what the young person wants to share, all to help them through their admission. Three months of follow up support also provides the young person and their loved ones with help after their discharge while a care plan for other longer-term support takes effect.

The most recent impact report from the service covering April to December 2023, shows that 271 young people were supported in Surrey hospitals, with a further 114 receiving follow up help. Emotional temperature checks, which monitor distress levels in young people during their time in hospital, showed a marked reduction after spending time with Emerge professionals. On average young people went from nine out of ten to five out of ten, where ten is extremely high levels of distress. 

Established in 2022, the MHIF is an integrated funding programme with a total budget of £10.5m. This allocation consists of a £6.5m contribution from Surrey County Council from the specific 1% precept on Council Tax collected from 2022/2023  and £4m from Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care Board.

Funding is used to support services which are non-statutory; developed by local, community-based groups. The MHIF is aligned to meeting the outcomes of Priority 2 of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which focuses on prevention, removing barriers, and supporting people to become proactive in improving their emotional health and wellbeing.

Young people, their parents and NHS staff have described the importance of the care offered by Emerge during such a vulnerable time.

 

You were so warming and caring and took my mind off the situation of what was happening,

said 17-year-old, Sophie.

 

Before Emerge I found it very difficult to talk about things and my emotional wellbeing was poor. Emerge’s support was very friendly, they listened to me and I didn’t have to wait for their support. I felt I didn’t have to worry about being judged for what I’m going through,

said 19-year-old, Josh.

 

Dr Charlotte Canniff, Joint Chief Medical Officer and executive lead for adult mental health for Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership, said:

 

Being in hospital during a mental health crisis can be frightening and disorientating so it’s fantastic to see the impact this team are having at a time when young people are feeling at their lowest point.

As well as the sense of trust and safety Emerge build with young people to help them through their crisis, they also give them coping skills and connect them to community resources that help keep them well and prevent further crises, showing the sustainable effect of this investment.

 

Joy Wright, Founder and Chief Executive of Emerge Advocacy, said:
 

I am delighted that Emerge has received this funding to increase our capacity to support young people in Surrey.  Emerge has an incredibly caring and skilled team and we are privileged to be a small part of the journey out of crisis for young people. 

Our team members often comment after spending time with a young person that they recognise the strength of character, amazing resilience, humour, compassion and courage of the young person.  Seeing them start to reconnect with a spark of hope and recognising the good in themselves and their future is what gets us out of bed in the morning - and into hospital at night!

 

Emerge Advocacy also work at Frimley Park Hospital, Wexham Park in Slough and across Kent.

Find out more about the Mental Health Investment Fund and the projects it supports across Surrey.