Information for professionals
Whatever your professional area, you are likely to meet people who are feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. This means you are in a great position to help people by increasing awareness of wellbeing and supporting people to access our service. Here you'll find information about who the service is for, ways you can support people to access our help, and what to expect from us. We've also put together some responses to Frequently Asked Questions.
Who is Wellbeing Suffolk for?
People aged 16 and over, registered with a Suffolk GP
Can access our service through a professional referral or through self-referral. Referrals can be made by telephone or by completing a referral here on our website.
People experiencing stress, anxiety and depression
Can receive one-to-one, personalised support from us with talking therapies tailored to their needs.
People affected by PTSD, OCD and phobias
Do you know someone who needs help with a specific challenge - such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety, phobias, or post-traumatic stress (PTSD)? We’re here to help.
People have a range of different life stresses that can impact on their wellbeing, for example, physical health problems, divorce, work stress and housing problems.
We have some examples here that may also give you an idea of the kinds of people we can help.
Whatever the life situation, if people are aware that they are stressed, anxious or feeling low and they want to take some positive steps, the Wellbeing Service may well be the right place to start.
Our Support
Making a professional referral
We are happy for any professional to make a professional referral. The most important criteria to us is that you know the person better than we do and are supporting them to access a service they might find helpful. You may work in a college, medical practice, community health practice, acute hospital or housing provider etc.
If you are aware of someone that would benefit from our free support, you can help in a number of ways.
You can guide them to this website to find out more about us. If they are aged 16 or over, you can explain that they can self-refer by phone on 0300 123 1503 or online via this website.
If you are a GP referring in to the Wellbeing Service than you can make a referral to us via e-referral
The individual may prefer that you contact us, in which case you can make a referral by filling in our professional referral form. You may find this helpful for someone who has particular needs, such as, a hearing problem, so we can make sure we offer help in the way that suits them best. In Suffolk, people aged 15 and under can access our services via referral from a professional.
How to make a professional referral
We understand that timely access to care can make all the difference. That’s why we’ve made it easy for healthcare professionals, social workers, and other referrers to connect individuals with the support they need. Explore the referral pathways below to find the most appropriate route for your patient or client.
Refer by phone
You can refer a patient by calling our team on 0300 123 1503, Monday to Friday, 8am - 6pm
If someone needs urgent help
Wellbeing is not for crisis. If someone needs urgent help, you can find urgent support information by clicking below.
Step-by-step referral guidance
Our referral guidance outlines everything professionals need to know to refer patients into our service.
After patient referral
Once referred the person will be contacted within 3 working days and invited to make an appointment to receive an assessment. This assessment will be with Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) who will guide them through the service to receive a treatment package that best suits their needs.
Useful resources for professionals
The GAD-2 and PHQ-2 are available for direct use here on our website — giving professionals a quick, reliable way to screen for anxiety and depression. These tools are ideal for initial assessments and can help streamline referrals into our service.
How to use PHQ-2 and GAD-2 when screening for depression and anxiety
PHQ-2 and GAD-2 consist of two questions each: and you can view each measure in full by clicking below.
PHQ-2
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things
Not at all = 0 point score
Several days = 1 point score
More than half the days = 2 point score
Nearly every day = 3 point score
2. Feeling down, depressed or hopeless
Not at all = 0 point score
Several days = 1 point score
More than half the days = 2 point score
Nearly every day = 3 point score
TOTAL SCORE =
GAD-2
Over the last 2 weeks, how often have you been bothered by the following problems?
1. Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge
Not at all = 0 point score
Several days = 1 point score
More than half the days = 2 point score
Nearly every day = 3 point score
2. Not being able to stop or control worrying
Not at all = 0 point score
Several days = 1 point score
More than half the days = 2 point score
Nearly every day = 3 point score
TOTAL SCORE =
The video below demonstrates the use of these screening measures:
A Score of 3 or more on either measure indicates that further assessment is needed, and in the absence of risk to self or other, a referral to us may be appropriate
Frequently Asked Questions
How can my professional area find out more about what the Wellbeing service offers in Suffolk?
We are happy to come to meetings to share information about our service to staff working in any professional area. If staff work out of a range of settings, we can set up an online workshop or webinar session to tell you more about the service and answer any questions.
If you want to arrange a meeting email contact your local team:
Wellbeing Suffolk
Email: wellbeing.suffolk@nsft.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 1503
Will the service work with people who are currently drinking too much alcohol or taking non-prescribed drugs?
We recognise that often drinking too much alcohol or using non-prescription drugs can be a way of coping when life feels overwhelming or as a way of coping with stress, anxiety and depression. As long as people do not come to our service under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and can focus well enough to benefit from our help, we are very happy to work to help people develop alternative ways to cope. This includes helping people who may also be accessing support for their use of alcohol or non-prescription drugs.
If necessary, of course, we can support a referral to your local recovery services:
What if I make a referral and they are already getting help from mental health services and I didn't know?
We have access to information at referral about whether someone is currently open to our Wellbeing service or has had previous contact with us. We also will check whether they are open to another mental health team or if they have previously been open to another team. This can help us ensure that we offer the most suitable service and avoid confusion.