Someone to talk to

There is guidance on help and support in an emergency or crisis. If you or a colleague are in danger, call 999.

Whatever your situation and no matter what you’re feeling or going through, there is always someone you can talk to, in confidence. We care about supporting you with psychological, emotional, financial, life and work related issues.

If you would like to talk to a therapist or mental health professional about any kind of personal or workplace issue, there are 2 free options available to all employees, on a self-referral basis:

• our employee assistance programme (EAP)
• Able Futures

We also have a network of mental health first aiders who are specially training colleagues you can talk to if you are experiencing a mental health issue or want to talk about something you are going through.

Confidentiality

Our support services are confidential. No one, including your manager or colleagues, will be informed that you have accessed the service.

In certain circumstances, where there is risk to yourself or to others, the person you speak to may need to break confidentiality. This is very rare and whenever possible would be discussed with you in advance.

Other support

If you feel able, you can talk to your manager about your situation so they can offer support and make adjustments to your working day where possible.

All employees can get occupational health support, which can sometimes include counselling. You can find other types of support in our guidance on support for mental health.

There is more information on public services for Essex residents, which includes a wide range of services that offer mental health and emotional support over video calls, telephone or face to face.