Allowing access without prior arrangement or wait wherever possible, the Sanctuary offers people a hot drink and strengths-based support to de-escalate and manage their distress, through formulating a safety plan drawing on their personal resilience and positive support networks. 

The Sanctuary is staffed by Mental Health Recovery Workers and well-trained peer support workers and volunteers. Support can be provided face-to-face, or by telephone or online Zoom appointments. It also runs weekly groups such as Arts and Crafts, Games Night, Creative Writing and Coffee and Chat.

The Sanctuary aims to enable people where appropriate (please see inclusion and exclusion criteria below) to be diverted from local mental health crisis services and acute Emergency Departments, relieving pressure on the wider 'acute' system. It is integrated with existing statutory crisis, primary care and Resilience Network and voluntary sector services, offering an enhanced non-clinical dimension to the local crisis offer. 

Accessing the service

The service, which is based in a psychologically informed venue just five minutes' walk from Warren Street Station and four minutes' walk from Euston Square, is open on weekday and weekend evenings from 5-11pm (the last 'drop in' appointment is 10.30pm) for Camden residents and people presenting to Camden services in crisis. It is also open during bank holidays including Christmas Eve/Day and New Years Eve/Day. 

If your practice requires hard copies of credit-card sized information on the service and leaflets for distribution to patients, please ask your GP practice manager to use the contact details here and including your practice name and address.
e: hestia.media@hestia.org

If you would like more information about the service, please visit the website listed below or contact the staff team:
e: Camden.CrisisSanctuary@hestia.org

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• Adult (18 years+) residents of Camden and those presenting in crisis to Camden services
• People who perceive themselves to be in a mental health crisis, or at risk of moving into mental health crisis for example, an individual referred may have one or more of the following: 
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Self-harm thoughts
  • Low mood and anxiety
  • Mental health crisis brought on by social factors (e.g. family dynamics including relationship breakdown, bereavement, financial crisis).

Exclusions

• Adults with dementia
• Children or adolescents
• People exhibiting violent or aggressive behaviour
• Grossly intoxicated (with drugs or alcohol) to the extent that communication and coherence is affected
• Active suicidal ideation where clinical assessment is required
• Those who need to be assessed and potentially detained under the Mental Health Act
• Those requiring assessment under s136 of the Mental Health Act.