Keystone Connect opens in Chipping Norton

Open each Friday. 9am to 5pm for appointments. From November, 10am and 12pm for drop-ins.

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Expert, easy to access NHS mental health support is coming to Chipping Norton with the establishment of the Keystone Mental Health & Wellbeing Connect, in collaboration with local charity, The Branch Trust.

Keystone Mental Health & Wellbeing Connect is being held at The Branch, 16 Market Place, Chipping Norton, every Friday. Keystone Connect will be open 9am to 5pm for appointments.

And from November Keystone Connect Chipping Norton will open its drop-in service between 10am and 12pm every Friday, enabling people to call in to get help with their mental health; mental health advice and support plus signposting or interventions from the Keystone staff without an appointment

A keystone is the central stone, or principle, which holds a bridge, or system together.

Keystone Mental Health & Wellbeing Hubs are being established across Oxfordshire to offer local people support for their mental health, where and when they need it most.

They are operated by Oxford Heath NHS Foundation Trust, which runs mental health services in the county, and are run by NHS mental health professionals linking in with local GP surgeries. The hubs are run by mental health clinicians also harnessing the experience and expertise of local people and have been designed in conjunction with experts by experience – people who have used mental health services themselves.

In Chipping Norton that includes professionals and beneficiaries of The Branch, a new community resource in the centre of the town. The Branch’s mission is to break down barriers, unlock potential and create opportunities for local people to thrive, working with compassion, creativity and collaboration at the heart of the community.

The Keystone mental health team includes mental health clinicians plus employment advice experts and peer support workers, some of whom have experienced mental health challenges themselves.

Keystone manager David Naidoo said: “We are bringing the expert mental health care, support and compassion of the Keystone hubs directly to people in Chipping Norton. We will be available every Friday here at the Branch to offer Chippy people a chance to talk to us, get advice and find out about the support they can access locally for their mental health.”

Catherine Spring, Outreach Manager and Mental Health Lead at The Branch Trust, said: “The Branch is all about finding innovative solutions to meet the needs of a rural community and we are thrilled to be collaborating with Keystone to offer much needed local access to mental health support.  We are excited about the opportunities this will open up for local residents who often find getting to clinical mental health support in towns and cities becomes a barrier.”

Rob Bale, Managing Director for Mental Health at Oxford Health NHS Foundation, said: “Just like with long-term physical health challenges, having an ongoing mental health disorder means that over time some people can experience periods of good mental health and periods where they experience more challenging symptoms. Keystone Connect is able to respond dynamically to people’s changing needs – making it easier for people to conveniently receive the right mental health support for them at the right time.

“People will also be able to get support for other aspects of their life which can be affected by and which are impacted by mental health challenges including relationships, leisure and socialising, accommodation, finances, training and education.

“Keystone Connect is right in the heart of town of Chipping Norton – making it really convenient for people who experience ongoing mental health challenges.”

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Published: 10 October 2024