Getting help in a mental health emergency

If you feel like you might attempt suicide, or may have seriously harmed yourself, you need urgent medical help. Please:

• Call 999 for an ambulance
• Go straight to A&E, if you can
• Call your local crisis team. If you don’t already have their number, see below for more information.

If you can keep yourself safe for a short while, but you still need urgent advice:

• Contact NHS 111 if you live in England (option 2 for Mental Health)
• Contact NHS 111 Wales if you live in Wales (select option 2 to access urgent mental health support)
• Contact a local urgent mental health helpline (see information below)
• Contact your GP surgery and ask for an emergency appointment. Many GPs are now offering these remotely.

You can go to your nearest A&E department and ask to speak to the duty psychiatrist.

St George’s Hospital, St. James Wing, Blackshaw Rd, London SW17 0QT
St Helier Hospital, Wrythe Lane, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 1AA
Kingston Hospital, Galsworthy Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 7QB

If you live in Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton or Wandsworth and you need urgent support, call the Mental Health Crisis Line on  0800 028 8000. 

This service is available 24/7 for adults and children of all ages, and to people who haven’t previously accessed mental health services. You can call for yourself or someone else.

Both services have a team of mental health specialists who can:  

• Provide  professional support and advice by phone  

• Direct you to the right service for your need s  

• Help you to get seen by a professional if you need an urgent assessment and arrange further support if needed.

Only call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk – for example they have seriously injured themselves or taken an overdose, or you do not feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe.

If you are Deaf, you can call this crisis line using Sign Live. Download the app for iOS or  Android.

If you are from a partner agency, GP or private provider and require urgent support and direction, you are encouraged to contact this crisis line.

If you are already a patient at the South West London St George’s Trust (NHS) between the hours of 9am-5pm Monday to Friday we encourage you to call the mental health team that looks after you. You can find their contact details here. Otherwise, please contact the crisis line.

If you are a child or young person, or a parent/carer concerned about a young person’s mental health, you can also contact the South London Partnership CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) Crisis Line on 0203 228 5980. The service is open Monday to Friday from 5pm-11pm, and at weekends and on banks holidays from 9am-11pm.   

If you are an adult struggling with how you are feeling or feel at risk of going into crisis, your local Recovery Café can help. Recovery Cafés are a free walk-in out of hours service where you can talk to people who will understand and help you.   

You don’t need a referral or an appointment to visit. You can ring ahead if you need any support getting there or would like to speak with a member of staff first.

Journey Recovery Hub (Twickenham), 32 Hampton Road, TW2 5QB* [email protected] / 020 3137 9755 
Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (6-10pm) and Sunday (2-8pm) including bank holidays

Journey Recovery Hub (Kingston), Alfriston Centre, 3 Berrylands Road, KT5 8RB*  
[email protected] /  020 3137 9755  
Opening hours:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday (6-10pm) and Saturday (2-10pm) including bank holidays 

*The Journey Recovery Hubs operate a drop-in service, or you can self-refer by  completing their self-referral form or contacting 020 3137 9755 / [email protected] 

Tooting (Hestia) Recovery Café, 966 Garratt Lane, SW17 0ND  
[email protected] / 07794 394 920 
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 12noon-11pm 

Sunshine Recovery Café, 296a Kingston Road, SW20 8LX  
 [email protected] / 07908 436 617 
Opening hours:Monday to Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 12noon-11pm 

Sutton Crisis Café, 63 Downs Road, Belmont, Sutton, SM2 5NR  
[email protected] / 020 8770 0172
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday  6.30pm to 11pm (last admission 10.30pm), including bank holidays 

National Mind have some crisis resources that you can use right away, by yourself, wherever you are Get crisis coping tools. If you are struggling, you may also find it helpful to contact one of the following helplines:

Samaritans offer confidential non-judgemental emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide. For English and Welsh speakers. Call 116 123 or email [email protected] (it may take several days to receieve a reply by email). 

SANE line offers specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. Call 0300 304 7000 (every day of the year, from 4pm – 10.30pm)

Papyrus provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person. Call 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or email [email protected], The line is open 24 hours every day of the year, including weekends and bank holidays. 

CALMis the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35. Call 0800 58 58 58 (open daily 5pm – midnight).

For opening hours, please take a look at the Kingston Samaritans webpage.

116 123 (free call, no area code needed) 
0330 094 5717 (local call charge)

If you are an adult struggling with how you are feeling or feel at risk of going into crisis, your local Recovery Café can help. Recovery Cafés are a free walk-in out of hours service where you can talk to people who will understand and help you.   

You don’t need a referral or an appointment to visit. You can ring ahead if you need any support getting there or would like to speak with a member of staff first.

Journey Recovery Hub (Twickenham), 32 Hampton Road, TW2 5QB* [email protected] / 020 3137 9755 
Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (6-10pm) and Sunday (2-8pm) including bank holidays

Journey Recovery Hub (Kingston), Alfriston Centre, 3 Berrylands Road, KT5 8RB*  
[email protected] /  020 3137 9755  
Opening hours:  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday (6-10pm) and Saturday (2-10pm) including bank holidays 

*The Journey Recovery Hubs operate a drop-in service, or you can self-refer by  completing their self-referral form or contacting 020 3137 9755 / [email protected] 

Tooting (Hestia) Recovery Café, 966 Garratt Lane, SW17 0ND  
[email protected] / 07794 394 920 
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 12noon-11pm 

Sunshine Recovery Café, 296a Kingston Road, SW20 8LX  
 [email protected] / 07908 436 617 
Opening hours:Monday to Friday 6pm-11pm, Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays 12noon-11pm 

Sutton Crisis Café, 63 Downs Road, Belmont, Sutton, SM2 5NR  
[email protected] / 020 8770 0172
Opening hours: Monday to Sunday  6.30pm to 11pm (last admission 10.30pm), including bank holidays 

Anxious, worried, or stressed? Prefer to text with someone rather than speak on the phone? Get 24/7 support from the SHOUT team of Crisis Volunteers. Text 85258.

CALM is the Campaign Against Living Miserably, for men aged 15 to 35. Call 0800 58 58 58 (open daily 5pm – midnight).

Papyrus provides confidential support and advice to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and anyone worried about a young person. Call 0800 068 4141, text 07860 039967 or email [email protected], The line is open 24 hours every day of the year, including weekends and bank holidays. 

SANEline offers specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. Call 0300 304 7000 (every day of the year, from 4pm – 10.30pm)

Support line: 0300 102 1234

We’re open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

Our support line is a safe space for you to talk about your mental health. Our advisors are trained to listen to you and help you find specialist support if you need it.

Talk to us if:

• You want a safe and confidential place to talk openly about your feelings
• You want someone to listen to you and help you to find the right steps to take for your mental health
• You’re looking for emotional support for your mental health and wellbeing

This is not a crisis service. Our page on how to get help in a crisis explains where to get help in an emergency.