Due to the recent increase in Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and subsequent media coverage, we are aware that mental health difficulties within the community have also been on the rise. This has led to a higher presentation of anxiety symptoms consistent with obsessive compulsive disorder, health anxiety, panic disorder and worry. Patients with pre-existing depression or low mood may have also been affected.
In response to this, Talking Therapies Barking and Dagenham will be offering a four-hour consultation slots for patients registered to GP surgeries across the borough. The consultations are available for patients experiencing mental health difficulties for the first time, as well as those with pre-existing symptoms that have been exacerbated. These twenty minute consultations will allow our trained therapists us to speak with 12 of your patients to provide advice and reassurance, as well as assessing the need for further treatment. Additionally, we are able to offer free online therapy programmes to patients who will benefit from such intervention. We would also like to offer wellbeing webinars in order to support large groups of your patients with their wellbeing. To facilitate this we would be grateful if you could draw up a list of up to 50 patients you believe would benefit from a telephone consultation or wellbeing webinar and we would be happy to contact them to offer this service.
As ever, the usual referral methods remain available, details can be found below.