New digital mental health service launches across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland

The Tellmi mental health service has been commissioned by the NHS Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care Board for five years to widen access to local mental health services for anyone aged 11+. Tellmi was introduced in April 2024 to support the large local and diverse population.

One in five children and young people in the UK has a diagnosable mental health illness and three-quarters of all mental health problems are established by age 24. One of the benefits of an all-age digital mental health service like Tellmi is that it can be used by young people as they transition into adulthood and beyond.

Tellmi provides digital mental health support, 365 days a year (on Android, IOS, and the web). Tellmi enables people to help themselves by helping each other. The community is anonymous and age-banded. All posts and replies are risk assessed by moderators and counsellors intervene when high-risk posts are made.

For those seeking additional help, Tellmi offers 1-2-1 text-based, solution-focused therapy with a qualified therapist. This therapeutic model is designed to help individuals think positively about their future and identify existing skills and strengths.

Speaking on commissioning the service for all age groups across the region, Selina Tumani - All Age Mental Health Lead, and Geraldine Burdett - Children Young People’s Mental Health Transformation Manager state that:

“Digital solutions have the potential to transform the way that mental health support is accessed. Tellmi helps local people access the right support at the right time. Digital technologies can help overcome the barriers that some individuals may face while seeking mental health support and improve the overall accessibility of services without any delay or inconvenience.”

Dr Suzi Godson, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Tellmi says:

“Tellmi is delighted to be supporting the mental health of people of all ages across Leicestershire, Leicester, and Rutland. Although Tellmi is a digital service, our directory of local services makes it easy for people to access support in their neighbourhood too. We want to work with as many organisations and service providers as we can to ensure that we support as many people as possible.”

The digital service does not replace NHS face-to-face support for those with acute mental illness or who are experiencing mental health crisis. If you need urgent support please contact the mental health access point on 0808 800 3302.

To find out more information visit www.tellmi.help or contact [email protected]