BEST FOR YOU
Best For You is a new approach to mental health care designed for – and in consultation with – young people and their families.
As part of the programme, we are building two state-of-the-art NHS spaces, creating outstanding environments in which professionals can care for young people’s mental and physical health in new and bespoke ways.
In addition, Best For You brings together a wide range of tried-and-tested digital resources on one website, providing 24/7 support for young people. It also connects organisations within and beyond the NHS to provide early intervention support, clinical assessment and specialist treatment.
By joining up these different elements of support, we’re helping to address the growing and urgent crisis in young people’s mental health, making it easier for them to access the help they need.
The project is run in partnership by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, West London NHS Trust and CW+. It is being evaluated by academic experts at Imperial College.
The role of CW+ in this partnership includes raising the seed funding required to deliver the programme and providing non-clinical leadership. We use our expertise in partnership building, arts in health and healthcare innovation to support key areas including digital content, design of new NHS spaces and cross-organisational working.
We launched the Best For You website in November 2021. Young people told us that they wanted NHS-assured information tailored to them and presented in an accessible, interactive way.
The Best For You website contains:
- information about mental health conditions
- tips and advice for looking after wellbeing
- videos from young people and mental health professionals
- guides to NHS services and other support in north-west London
- free digital tools to support mental health
The Best For You website directs young people to other innovative tools developed as part of the overall programme.
The NATTER text service (delivered in partnership with Shout) provides 24/7 text support for young people who are overwhelmed or in crisis. Young people can text NATTER to 85258 to text with a trained volunteer who will help them reach a calm, safe place with a plan of how to support themselves going forward. The service is free, confidential and anonymous (with appropriate safeguarding in place).
The Best For You app library (delivered in partnership with ORCHA) helps young people, parents and carers, and professionals access high-quality, trustworthy apps to support wellbeing. ORCHA review apps for safety and accuracy before adding them to the library. Young people can search and browse lists of apps; professionals can recommend specific apps directly to young people. The library is delivered in partnership with ORCHA (the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps), which reviews apps for safety and accuracy before adding them.
We are also working in partnership with an expert organisation to create a digital resource that supports young people who are accessing new services (including those moving between services).
The day service, run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, will treat some of the most acutely unwell young people in north-west London.
CW+ is contributing its expertise to create a safe, co-designed environment in which professionals can provide tailored treatment following the latest best practice.
The day service will open in 2023 and will reduce the pressure on NHS inpatient services and enable young people to recover in the community, supported by their family and friends.
Best For You will create a new inpatient space at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where a multidisciplinary team will work holistically to treat young people’s physical and mental health at the same time.
The centre will include the UK’s first 72-hour Rapid Assessment Unit, in which professionals will work seamlessly together to assess young people in mental health crisis and identify the ongoing care they need.
How you can help
CW+ is working with supporters to raise £8m to deliver Best For You. Please donate today. Your gift, no matter what size, will help to us to support young people and their families.
Visit the Best For You website to explore our digital mental health resources for young people, parents and carers, and professionals who work with young people.
To find out more about Best For You, please email BestForYou@cwplus.org.uk
© 2023