30 Access Wellbeing spaces now open
This World Mental Health Day (Friday 10 October) Dorset is marking a significant milestone in supporting local people, with 30 Access Wellbeing services now open across the county, offering free mental health and wellbeing support to anyone aged 18 and over.
Find your nearest Access Wellbeing space
Delivered through a pioneering partnership between the NHS and voluntary sector, Access Wellbeing services are staffed by friendly wellbeing coordinators who are on-hand to listen, then help people to find the right support.
Since the first hub opened in Poole in January 2024, the Access Wellbeing service has seen almost 10,000 visits and supported over 6,000 people, and has now grown to include:
- Three hubs in Poole, Weymouth and Boscombe
- 27 drop-in spaces in existing community venues
- 50 wellbeing coordinators working across Dorset
Amy Maloney, Head of Access Wellbeing at BCHA, said: “We’re so proud to have built a network of support across Dorset through Access Wellbeing, working alongside our partners to create a more connected system. Sometimes we all need a space to be heard, and our services offer exactly that. Whether someone is struggling with their mental health or feeling overwhelmed by practical worries like housing or money, there’s a friendly person ready to listen and help – and that can make all the difference.”
The new Access Wellbeing hubs and drop-in spaces are managed through an innovative partnership between five voluntary sector organisations – BCHA, The Lantern Trust, Dorset Mind, Harmony and Help & Care – and Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust.
Morad Margoum, Service Director for Mental Health at Dorset HealthCare said: “Access Wellbeing is an innovative new way of working that gives people quicker, easier access to mental health support. We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the voluntary sector to deliver a service that is already changing lives in Dorset.”
Sohna visited the Access Wellbeing hub in Boscombe earlier this year and was supported by wellbeing coordinator Karen, who worked alongside Sohna, helping to connect her to organisations that could support with the challenges she was facing.
Sohna explains: “Access Wellbeing can work with you and give support with things you didn’t think it was possible to achieve. It’s all in one at Access Wellbeing – when you get into the hub you always have a hope, and that hope is always achievable.”
Mental health support in Dorset
There are lots of different organisations that provide mental health support in Dorset, including:
