Kiran Chittazhathu is one of our new Associate Mental Health Practitioners for the North East London (NEL) Mental Health Crisis Response Service. On Tuesday, 2nd April, he became the very first person to respond to a crisis call via NHS 111 in NEL.
1. Could you explain the role of an NHS 111 mental health call handler?
The role of an NHS 111 mental health call handler is to listen carefully to the issues facing service users who are in crisis. We provide them with appropriate care depending on their individual circumstances, while also signposting them to any other forms of support available.
2. How does it feel to have taken the first ever NHS 111 mental health call NEL?
I feel privileged to have taken the very first 111 mental health call in NEL, which happened almost immediately after the service went live! I’m really proud about the way I handled it, which set me up well for the rest of the day – which was busy with additional calls.
3. How have you found the system itself so far, and has it been reliable?
It has certainly been a learning curve to get up to speed about the way the system works, but we have all worked really well together. If there have been any gaps in our knowledge, we’ve been supporting one another and been able to ask plenty of questions. The system has been reliable, and I’m sure that within a few days I’ll be completely comfortable with all its functions.
4. What has the on boarding process been like?
The process has been really smooth, and we’ve been given a lot of time for training to ease ourselves onto the new system. All colleagues have been very supportive, and it’s been fun to work alongside them. This has certainly helped to settle in and feel prepared.
5. What is the ‘behind the scenes’ procedure for supporting a person who calls about a mental health concern?
If a person calls the service with a mental health crisis and has experienced low moods, we support them by creating a safety plan collaboratively and discuss next steps for the remainder of the day and beyond.
Do you urgently need to speak with trained mental health staff? If you live in one of the below local authorities, you can call the NEL Mental Health Crisis Response Service via NHS 111, and select option ‘2’:
- City of London
- Hackney
- Newham
- Tower Hamlets
- Waltham Forest
- Redbridge
- Havering
- Barking and Dagenham
If you have questions or if you would like more information about the service, please contact Tower Hamlets Crisis Pathway Service Manager, Melanie King, at melanie.king2@nhs.net.