IN BRIEF
FEELING LOW, ANXIOUS
OR STRESSED? INSPIRING THE
NEXT GENERATION
People in Wirral experiencing low mood, stress or
anxiety can access psychological talking therapies by
referring themselves – no GP referral required. Over 150 Cubs and Brownies have recently enjoyed two
fantastic evenings of science at Birkenhead School at
the Big Bang Science Fairs, facilitated by young Science
leaders from the School and Big Bang North West.
That’s the message that NHS Wirral Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG) wants to share with people across the borough.
Dr Paula Cowan, Medical Director at NHS Wirral CCG said: “1 in 4
people will experience a problem with their mental wellbeing at some
point in their life. Talking therapies is not a crisis service, but a chance
to access mental health support at an early stage, when you are feeling
low, stressed or anxious.
“Seeking support through talking therapies early on can make a real
difference to recovery, and can equip you with the tools and support
you need to help prevent a mental health situation becoming worse.”
People over the age of 16 and registered with a Wirral GP Practice
can access talking therapies which include cognitive behavioural
therapies, bereavement support, counselling, and groups/courses to
help people better understand and improve their mental health. These
therapies come under the national NHS IAPT (Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies) programme.
Dr Cowan added: “Last year there were some delays in people accessing
talking therapies in Wirral, but we are pleased to say that waiting times
are now in line with national targets, to ensure that people get the right
help when they need it.”
GP referrals are also in place for people who wish to talk to their GP
about how they are feeling first.
If you would like to directly access Wirral’s talking therapies service or
find out more, call: 0151 649 1859 or visit www.wirralccg.nhs.uk
Talking therapies do not offer support for mental health emergencies.
If you need to talk to someone urgently, visit http://www.cwp.nhs.uk/
crisis/ or call your GP, 111 or 999.
12 wirrallife.com
The evenings offered 10 interactive science and engineering activities
that Cubs and Brownies could take part in and that coincided with
their badge work.
All activities offered their own degree of pops, bangs, whooshes
and fizzes. There were pneumatic targets, an air bazooka, mixing
experiments, universal indicator pictures and the chance to be
encased in a giant bubble, amongst the activities of offer and the
Sensational Science Show at the end of the evening enthralled with fire
demonstrations, reaction and gas experiments and whoosh bottles.
The Big Bang evenings are the latest in a range of events that the
School offers to the local community. The School has recently held
a Primary Schools Lacrosse Festival and is welcoming best-selling
author and illustrator, Alex T Smith for World Book Day, and local
primary schools have been invited.
The Science department is renowned for the quality of its work and
last year, a team from the lower sixth were awarded the title of ‘North
West Young Scientists of the Year’.
The School offers a range of co-curricular science activities for
students including Science Clubs for Year 2 upwards and Astronomy
Club in Seniors.
Birkenhead School is holding an Open Day on Saturday 27th April
from 11am – 2pm for Nursery to Sixth Form and families are invited
to visit the School and find out about the wide range of opportunities
on offer.
To find out more, visit www.birkenheadschool.co.uk