Covid-19 Update: Due to the impact that Covid-19 has had on our service, we’ve reviewed the way that we work with you. As a result, we’ve reduced the amount of face to face work that we offer, taking advantage of digital alternatives. We’re working to implement social distancing measures so you can be reassured of safe sessions when meeting in person. Your clinician will discuss your treatment options with you.
Time to Talk Health is a free & confidential NHS Service for residents 18+ registered with a West Sussex GP who are in need of support to cope with the impact of living with one or more of the following diagnosed long-term health conditions:
At Time to Talk Health we know living with any of these conditions can be really difficult - you may become worried, anxious or low in mood, which can lead to even worsening health. Our friendly qualified team of therapists and healthcare practitioners work alongside your healthcare team(s) whether you’re struggling to adjust to a new diagnosis or experience problems coping as your condition(s) progresses.
What you can expect:
Our clinicians will work with you in order to achieve outcomes you want, for example to:
What we are not:
Time to Talk Health is not a crisis or emergency service. If you feel you need help urgently, please contact:
Here’s what one of our fabulous Wellbeing Practitioners said about his work with patients:
“We will often relate bodily symptoms to that of our physical health conditions. As a practitioner working for the service, a key element of my role is to help identify how symptoms of physical and emotional health may both be present and result in vicious cycles for a patient. It is then a case of working together, developing tools and strategies to help break these cycles, either reducing symptoms or finding other ways to cope.
Our experience working with each specific patient group can help bring valuable understanding and facilitate lasting change. Often, groups of patients may find they are not alone with their experiences. For example: Cardiac patients may feel more vulnerable and so avoid pushing themselves - or the opposite and push themselves too much to try and reach their previous exercise goals. Diabetic patients may notice their unexplainable sugar readings are actually impacted by stress resulting in a yo-yoing of their sugars. The anxiety of being breathless may result in someone with COPD experiencing a worsened experience of their symptoms. However, we are all different and that’s why the first step to working with us is an assessment of your needs to see what support might best suit your specific needs. We can then decide together how to proceed”.
And here’s what a couple of our patients have said about us:
“Time to Talk Health and my allocated therapist was a life saver for me. I felt like I was having a breakdown when I telephoned for support. The staff were very kind and quick to respond to my distress. My therapist supported me throughout my treatment. She helped me recognise that I was experiencing anxiety and panic attacks.
My therapist was kind and supportive throughout. She helped me to recognise warning signs, not use avoidance and to work through my fear and panic.
I would like to say a big thank you to my therapist and Time to Talk Health for being there when I was at my lowest and in need of professional support”.
And
“My therapist was great, I could not have picked a better match for me. My therapist made me feel like me again and I have not felt like that for such a long time. I now have the skills to live a better life. Thank you so much”.
I think Time to Talk Health could be useful, what should I do now?
The first step is to book a NICE-approved comprehensive telephone assessment with one of our friendly and experienced clinicians. An assessment will allow us both to better understand the impact your physical health is having on your daily life. You can book telephone assessments Monday to Friday between 8am-3pm - allow yourself an hour in a confidential space to talk through what your needs are. Please let us know if you require a face-to-face assessment but as long as you are able to contact us by phone we find that phone assessments are the most flexible.
Following your assessment we’ll consider whether your needs can be met by our Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) clinicians - or if it’s identified that you require something else, we’ll assist you to refer to alternative support. Having an assessment is the best way of finding out what would help you most and what your options are.
If after your assessment you agree that talking therapies with one of our clinicians would be of help to you we provide the following treatments according to varying patient needs:
West Sussex
How to Access Time to Talk Health
You can contact us directly or ask your GP, nurse or other healthcare professional to refer you using the same contact details below.
Our contact details:
Opening hours:
Time to Talk Health is available Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm
How to find us:
We deliver the Time to Talk Health service in venues across West Sussex for anyone aged 18 years+ who needs support living with any of these diagnosed long-term conditions. We accept referrals from GPs and other healthcare professionals or patients can contact us directly as above.
More information available:
West Sussex