PATIENTS have welcomed a new scheme that will see charities working hand-in-hand with mental health workers.

Leaders of five charities and Oxford Health Foundation Trust came together to officially launch the Oxfordshire Mental Health Partnership on Tuesday.

The partnership brings together staff at the trust and workers at Oxfordshire Mind, Response, Restore, Connection Floating Support and Elmore Community Services who will together work in the same teams to support mental health patients.

Under the old system organisations referred patients between them, but the new contract means staff from all bodies will be part of the same mental health teams.

Kerry Earp had been a service user at Restore for nearly a year after being treated for depression and anxiety at the Warneford Hospital.

Now set to become a volunteer, the 34-year-old said the charity was vital in her struggle to get her confidence back and find a job with South Oxfordshire District Council.

She welcomed the launch of the partnership which will allow patients to not only get medical treatment for problems, but advice, support and help to find work or a home.

Miss Earp, from Sandford-on-Thames, said: “I would not be here now if it wasn’t for Restore.

“The new partnership will make the pathway for patients more streamlined and they won’t be passed from pillar to post.”

While Oxford Health will provide medical treatment, each of the charities will offer a different form of support to help mental health patients.

Restore provides coaching and classes to help people recover and get back into work, Connections helps people to live independently and Oxfordshire Mind offers advice and support to people with mental health difficulties.

Elmore staff visit people and provides one-to-one support to guide them through their difficulties while Response helps people to find stable and secure homes.

Oxford Health’s chief operating officer Yvonne Taylor said the new contract meant that patients could now get joined up support, no matter which organisation they went to.

Speaking after the launch at Restore’s cafe in Manzil Way, she added: “People are people and have got many needs.

“If they have a mental health problem it can impact on all aspects of their life, so this is a way of addressing all those needs.”

“The charities will be working as part of our mental health teams, so users won’t have to go to six different places. They can enter the service from any one of the organisations.”

Miss Earp said that after her treatment by Oxford Health she would not have been able to get back into work without the support of Restore.

She said: “Sometimes you need that extra bit of reassurance and support. It’s very important.”