Manchester Foundation Trust Directory of Services

Age UK Manchester’s counselling service was originally the brainchild of Dr. May Duddle, a retired psychiatrist who worked mainly in the Manchester area.

Age UK Manchester Counselling Service is for the residents of Manchester aged 60 years and over and their carers.

The service is free and confidential.

Counselling sessions are held at:

  • The Crossacres Resource Centre in Wythenshawe
  • The Openshaw Resource Centre in Openshaw
  • The City Centre Head Office

Counsellors approved by Age UK Manchester are available to help older people and carers of older people to explore and understand problems such as anxiety/stress, depression, bereavement, loneliness, self-esteem, trauma/abuse and ill health.

ASSIST Trauma Care is a specialist Third Sector (Not-for-Profit) Organisation offering therapeutic help to adults and children, individuals and families, affected by a wide range of traumatic occurrences.

Based at a central clinic in Rugby in the Midlands, ASSIST therapists have been trained to use evidence-based models to help sufferers rebuild their lives and move on, following a traumatic experience that has impacted them. They also have specialist Outreach Therapists located across England and Wales, who may be able to provide more local help. ASSIST therapists work with both the symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and also with Traumatic Bereavement and Grief.

Occasionally grants are available to support the cost of referral. Where this is not the case funding needs to be agreed by Primary Care Trust Commissioners.

When a patient experiences a major trauma it is not just they who are affected. The patient’s whole support network has to cope with stresses and challenges that come with lengthy hospital stays and rehabilitation.

Care for the Family is a national family-run charity which aims to promote strong family life and to help those who face family difficulties. For over 25 years, they have provided parenting, relationship and bereavement support through their events, resources, courses, training and volunteer networks.

Grief is a natural process, but it can be devastating. Cruse Bereavement Care is a leading national charity for bereaved people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

They offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies, and work to enhance society’s care of bereaved people. Cruse offers face-to-face, telephone, email, local services, and a website (www.hopeagain.org.uk) specifically for children and young people. The services are provided by a network of 5,000 trained volunteers and are confidential and free.

Many trauma patients can start to feel sad, depressed or anxious about life after they leave hospital. Your GP may prescribe you a course of talking based thereapy to help you, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Often these services are provided face to face, but they are now also available over the internet or telephone. For some areas, the NHS have set up services with private companies to provde these services to patients on behalf of the NHS. In most circumstances, you don’t need to visit your GP to access them.

IESO Digital Health provides evidence-based mental health therapy online on behalf of the NHS to patients in most areas of England.

They can offer you a discreet one-to-one therapy session delivered in real time using written (typed) conversation, with patients meeting an accredited therapist in a secure virtual therapy room, at a time and location that is both convenient and comfortable for you. Therapy delivered using the IESO system has been clinically validated within the NHS to deliver excellent clinical outcomes with high levels of patient engagement.

Manchester Mind is an independent local mental health charity which delivers services to young people and adults. Their vision is of a city that promotes good mental health and treats people with mental health problems positively, fairly and with respect.

Manchester Mind is committed to improving the lives of people with mental health needs. They promote the health and well being of people affected by mental distress and take a positive approach to mental health, challenging stereotypes and discrimination.

They enable people with mental health needs to improve their health and well being to reach their full potential. They work with people so they can live more successfully in their communities.

Mood Swings was founded in 1999. Their aim is to help people recover from mood problems and the severe emotional distress they can cause.

Mood problems can range from periods of severe anxiety or depression to episodes of high and low mood. The effects on education, employment, relationships and family life can be devastating.

The work of the Charity is based on a belief that people can recover from severe mood problems and move on to lead happier and fuller lives. From its centre in Manchester, Moodswings reaches out across the North West and beyond, with a message of real hope and optimism for individuals and their families and friends.

A road death is not a normal death, it is sudden, violent, unexpected and premature. Losing a loved one in a crash is devastating. Lives are shattered, and some never recover from the trauma. Family breakdown, job loss, depression and even suicide can be the unfortunate consequences of losing a loved one in this way.

RoadPeace has been campaigning since 1992 to change this, and is a leading charity working for people bereaved and injured on the roads. They provide emotional and practical support and advocacy.

RoadPeace operates a national helpline that provides support and information to those affected by road death and injury. They also work closely with other support organisations, and can refer people onto other sources of specialist support and information.

Their website offers detailed information guides and briefing sheets that you can access for free.

Self Help was established in 1995 by Nicky Lidbetter and Glenmore Nunes, who developed a drop-in support group for those living with anxiety disorders as a direct result of there being little support at the time in the city of Manchester.

Self Help believe in people having a choice in mental health care. They provide a range of support, services and opportunities, across the North West of England, for people living with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, phobias and panic attacks.

Everyone reacts differently to experiencing crime. How you react depends on lots of different things — such as the crime itself, the sort of person you are, and the support you have around you.

Victim Support is an independent charity. They help whether or not the crime is reported to the police and their support is free, confidential and tailored to the person’s individual needs. It doesn’t matter when the crime took place – they offer support at any time, and for however long you need it.

Victim Support helps anyone affected by crime, not only those who experience it directly, but also their friends, family and any other people involved. The specially trained staff and volunteers are based locally across England and Wales, and give people the emotional and practical help they need to recover from the impact of crime.