Accessing Safe Havens – survey results

We wanted to understand how easy it is for someone to attend a Safe Haven in Surrey and Northeast Hampshire in person, what challenges they might face, and what could help. We ran a survey last November and December to find out.

A Safe Haven is a supportive, non-clinical space where trained staff are available to help anyone aged 18 or over if they’re struggling with their mental health. Safe Havens are open every day from 6pm to 11pm. They offer free and confidential support, including peer support from people who have experienced mental health issues, and no referral or appointment is needed.

There are Safe Havens in Aldershot, Epsom, Guildford, Redhill and Woking. They are run by Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with local mental health charities.

18 people told us they wanted or were recommended to go to a Safe Haven to support their mental health. Only 7 were able to attend in person, that’s 39%.

The main reasons people couldn’t get there were about the location of the Safe Haven, including a lack of public transport, no parking nearby, feeling the area was unsafe, or it was just too far away.

Others said they were not safe to drive when in crisis, and some didn’t want to go back after an earlier negative experience.

27% of people who couldn’t attend in person used the virtual Safe Haven instead. Virtual Safe Havens mean people can speak to someone at the Safe Haven via their computer, tablet or phone without needing to go there. They are open from 6-11pm and offer the same level of support as the in-person Safe Haven.

We asked people who had used the Safe Haven how helpful they found it.

People who went in person scored it 3.6 out of 5, and those who accessed it virtually scored it 2.7 out of 5.

One person said “Having the opportunity to be in a safe place when I was struggling with risky behaviour kept me safe. It was helpful to have people to talk to including a nurse who could access my notes.”

Someone who had a less positive experience said “There were times when I wasn’t welcomed. I felt like the staff needed to understand that a crisis can be different for each person.”

People said the Safe Haven would be easier and more helpful to access if:

• There was a video to show exactly what to expect to reduce anxiety, particularly for autistic people.
• They offered grounding or distraction activities.
• They reinstated early evening wellbeing groups, which stopped during the Covid Pandemic.
• They opened earlier in the day, to help people who need to find childcare and someone to drive them to the Safe Haven.

The results of the survey have been shared with Surrey and Borders Partnership teams working on crisis care and suicide prevention.

For more information about Safe Havens, visit their website: Safe Havens : Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

You can see the full results of our survey on the following PowerPoint presentation: