Rethink Advice and Information Service
Rethink’s Advice and Information Service provides expert advice and information to people with mental health problems and those who care for them, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff.
The Advice and Information Service team also provides evidence to the media, government and our own research team to improve mental health policy.
The world of mental health can be complex and confusing, and finding accurate and detailed advice can be daunting. The Rethink Advice and Information Service is a unique source of detailed advice which covers a wide range of mental health problems.
Our staff possess a wealth of in-depth knowledge and experience. They are highly trained to provide specific solution-based guidance and offer information and advice in response to over 10,000 enquiries every year. We can provide advice and information on a wide range of mental health issues including:
- 24 hour care
- Treatment, medication and therapy
- Getting a second opinion
- Recovery
- Living with severe mental illness
- Children and mental illness
- Maximising benefits
- Helping people look for work
- The law, individual rights and government
- The police, courts and prison
- Getting help to prepare for hearings
- Getting help with inquests
- Carers information
Rethink is committed to providing cooperative, interconnected services which work together, and although the Advice Service is not able to provide listening, befriending or counselling services, callers can be put in touch with other local Rethink services which can help in these areas.
Our Advice and Information Service is committed to these key principles:
Independence - We always act in the interests of our enquirers and are not influenced by any external bodies or interest groups.
Impartiality – Everyone who contacts us is treated appropriately and with respect. We make no assumptions or judgements about our callers, and every enquiry is taken seriously. We are all too aware that in mainstream mental health provision, 1 in 3 people are turned away when they first ask for help.
Confidentiality – Everything callers tell us is treated in the strictest confidence and in accordance with Rethink’s confidentiality policy.
Free access – No-one ever has to pay for the advice or information they receive.
We use Language Line, enabling non-English speaking callers to contact us in their first language. We also use Type Talk for those with a hearing impairment
Information
The Rethink Advice and Information Service also produces a wide range of written information about the issues which really matter to people who use services and carers, including fact sheets, resource packs and books.
We are adopting the Information Accreditation Scheme Standard in relation to the information that we produce. This scheme aims to improve the quality of the information that the public has to help them make decisions.
To contact the Rethink Advice and Information Service, please call 0845 456 0455. The Service is available from Monday to Friday 10am – 2pm.
Calls from BT residential lines will be charged as a local call rate, calls from other operators may vary and calls from mobile phones will be considerably more. Rethink does not make any money from the cost of a call.
We receive a very high volume of calls and unfortunately it is not always possible to get through first time. Please be patient and continue calling us – we are committed to responding to your call as soon as we can.
We can also provide information and advice online. Please email advice@rethink.org
Alternatively, you can write to:
Rethink Advice and Information Service,
89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP
Help Us
Keep The Lifeline
Please donate to support our Advice and Information telephone line, and other vital services.
Donate to Rethink
Email: advice@rethink.org
