Who can access italk?
Anyone aged 16 and or over and who are registered with a GP in Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, New Forest, Test Valley and Winchester experiencing mild to moderate depression and/or anxiety.
How do you access italk?
italk currently accepts GP referrals and self-referrals.
GP referrals
Once you and your GP agree italk is the best option for you, your GP will send us a referral, but you will also need to contact us. We call this 'opt in’, which is the first step in your involvement with italk.
Self referrals
You are now able to self-refer to italk, this means you can contact us directly, without visiting your GP. This is now available in all localities (Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, New Forest, Test Valley & Winchester). To self-refer please call us on 023 8038 3920 or complete a self-referral website form here.
Once you have contacted us and 'opted in’, we will arrange a time for you to have an initial assessment with one of our Step 2 Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners. This will be over the telephone and at a time to suit you.
What can you expect?
The telephone assessment will involve you completing some questionnaires which your GP may have already shown you. They are used to assess your level of depression or anxiety and you complete them at every stage of your treatment plan. Our team use these to regularly review your treatment and ensure you are working efficiently towards recovery. Don’t worry though – they are quick to complete and will help you to see your progress over time as well.
Following your assessment, your Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner will discuss what your individual needs are and agree a programme of treatment with you. For most people, this will be with our Step 2 Team. For people who need a higher level of support, we can offer psychological therapies with our High Intensity Therapists at Step 3 Team. Whichever level you access, you will be assigned your own personal practitioner who will be a skilled professional and is there to support you for the duration of your treatment.
How long will it take?
Step 2 - average of 5 telephone treatment sessions with 1 initial assessment
Step 3 - average of 12 face-to-face treatment sessions with 1 initial assessment at Step 2
It may be that you feel better more quickly than expected, and choose to leave the service after fewer sessions than planned. Equally, if you find that things are not improving for you, your practitioner will work with you to see what extra support you need. This could be via more treatment sessions or progression to Step 3.
Generally, most people will complete their treatment and find that they have improved significantly. You will then be discharged from the service, and given the opportunity to provide feedback about your experience which we will use to develop and shape our service. We also welcome back re-referrals from your GP or further self-referrals if you are struggling in the future.