Switchover Today from Mental Health Crisis Lines to NHS 111, Option 2

Following on from April’s launch of a new mental health crisis response service via NHS 111, this service has fully replaced the 0800 mental health crisis lines in east London as of today (Friday, 31st January 2025).

Since the 2nd April, service users experiencing mental health crises who have called our 0800 mental health crisis lines have had their calls automatically diverted to the centralised NHS 111, Option 2 service – meaning no calls have been missed.

From today, calls to the 0800 numbers will no longer be diverted. Instead, service users will be required to call 111 and select option ‘2’, putting them through to a 24/7 mental health service for all ages based in ELFT’s crisis hub in Tower Hamlets.

The NHS 111, Option 2 team has a wide range of skills, including on-the-phone brief psychological support and has access to key services and organisations that can offer mental health support to people in their time of need.

The Trust is committed to ensuring that residents of all ages across the City & Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets remain able to speak with mental health colleagues at any time of day, which they will still be able to do – just via a different Freephone number.

NHS 111, Option 2 creates a uniform, consistent way for the community to access mental health crisis support. This is in line with other providers across the country who are implementing mental health support via NHS 111 – a simple, three-digit number for urgent mental health care.

The NHS 111, Option 2 service is localised in NEL, with staff coming from across the City & Hackney, Newham and Tower Hamlets. Staff in place understand the needs of the local community, and service users will not be connected to a remote, far-away call centre with no connection to ELFT’s catchment areas.  

Individuals contacting NHS 111, Option 2 who do not feel confident/are not able to speak English, and require an interpreter, are able to do so. The caller – or somebody on their behalf – can request this by asking the call handler who takes the call.

If service users are known to ELFT services, they should continue to contact their service in the ways they had been doing so previously during working hours. Those wishing to contact a mental health professional outside of hours – or those who aren’t previously known to services – should contact 111 and select option ‘2’.

If any ELFT staff or external partners have information on letterheads, email signatures or websites promoting our 0800 mental health crisis lines in east London, please change these to NHS 111, Option 2.

If there are any questions or if you would like more information, please do contact the Tower Hamlets Crisis Pathway Service Manager at melanie.king2@nhs.net.