An East Midlands provider of NHS funded therapy services is calling for organisations to work together to ensure help is available as quickly and efficiently as possible for incoming Ukranian refugees.
Insight IAPT is already providing assistance for refugees and employees who host them in their own homes, but is also putting systems in place to offer post-traumatic psychological support to people fleeing war, as well as readying Employment Advisor services to work with eligible refugees to get meaningful employment.
The organisation will also provide financial support to any employees that house refugees through the Government’s scheme, and is also calling on the Government, local authorities, and other organisations to work together to create community networks, allowing support and accommodation to be accessed quickly and easily by those who need it most.
The company is calling on other talking therapy providers to work together, to ensure that the right measures are in place to support those affected by the conflict in Ukraine. The support they are calling for includes translation services, locations for treatment, increased capacity, employment and housing support, and improved access to trauma specialists.
Chief Executive, Adam Crampsie said: “We have all been affected by the devastating pictures coming from Ukraine over the past two weeks, and we are fortunate to be in a position to help those who need it. I am working closely with my own team, and other mental health service providers across the UK, to get measures in place so we can provide relevant and important support to anyone affected by the war.
We recognise that opening your home to a refugee, especially at a time when the cost of living is increasing so rapidly, can have an impact on mental health, so we want to make sure anyone who has done so has access to the right support too.
We have seen a lot of broad promises by the Government of fiscal support to local authorities and hosts of these refugees, but money needs to be spent wisely. We are keen to work with relevant organisations so we can pool our resources and make sure that systems are set up as quickly as possible for anyone who needs mental health support during this incredibly hard time.”