Support

Health in Mind

Health in Mind (North East Essex IAPT) provide access to a wide range of talking therapy treatments for adults with common mental health problems, including: depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Health in Mind is part of the Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Mid and North East Essex Mind. Health in Mind is part of the national initiative Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT). There is a strong link between physical and mental health. Having a long term condition like inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or chronic pain can sometimes lead to emotional difficulties like depression and anxiety. Overall, two thirds of people living with long term conditions, and up to 70% of people with medically unexplained physical symptoms, also have depression or anxiety. Feeling low or anxious can, in turn, make it harder to manage your condition, as you may find that attending appointments, managing medication and generally looking after yourself before more challenging. Healthy Minds will explore any long term condition that you may be experiencing and aim to adapt support to take this into account. This may help you feel more able to take control over your physical health whilst also supporting your emotional wellbeing. Treatment sessions may be by phone, online, in groups/workshops or face-to-face. Our primary treatment options are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) which is a structured therapy where you will set goals you want to reach and work on changes you can make to patterns of thoughts and behaviours to help you attain your goals. Health in Mind allows those aged 16 and above registered with a GP in north east Essex to refer into the service. If you think you would benefit from our service the first step it to talk to us to find out how we can best help you. You can refer to us by using one of the following options:

• Refer online via our secure e-form (https://www.iaptportal.co.uk/selfreferral.aspx?ServiceCode=WSNEE)
• Contact Health in Mind on 0300 330 5455.

  For more information about Health in Mind please visit www.northessexiapt.nhs.uk/north-east-essex  

Crohn’s and Colitis UK North Essex Network

Our clinicians work closely with a group of dedicated volunteers who run the North Essex Crohn’s and Colitis Network. The group offers vital support and friendship to patients with IBD and their families or carers. It holds informal get-togethers around three times a year at the Beefeater Albert pub in Cowdray Avenue, as well as medical meetings every six months, which are organised in partnership with our hospital. During these meetings, specialists from the IBD team give talks and take questions about different aspects of Crohn’s and colitis, such as diet, the latest developments in research or living with a stoma. People attending are also given the chance to chat informally to other members, share their experiences and offer mutual support and advice. Medical meetings usually take place in the Postgraduate Medical Centre at the hospital, and are advertised on our website, in local newspapers and via the network’s Facebook page. The network is also able to signpost patients and their families to further sources of support through Crohn’s and Colitis UK. In addition, the group also gets involved in fundraising for the charity, as well as raising awareness of IBD among the local community. For more information about the group, search for “Crohn's and Colitis UK North Essex Network” on Facebook or visit www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering/local-network/south-east/north-essex