Look Ahead’s flagship mental health service highlighted on BBC’s One Show

The coverage introduced the Tower Hamets-based service, which is England’s first neighbourhood mental health centre and one of six such hubs planned nationwide. The feature highlighted the partnership model, delivered by Look Ahead in collaboration with the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) and the Tower Hamlets Mental Health Alliance, showcasing the benefits this brings.

Sheraz Ahmad, an ELFT Consultant Psychiatrist based at the centre told the BBC: “When people come and see anyone in mental health services, their problems are not just about one thing having all that together under one roof is really helpful, so we’re not sending people away, they’re not waiting on waiting lists, already we can see people are spending less time on a ward, fewer people are being detained under the Mental Health Act, if you can give people what they need early enough, then things don’t get worse.”

The show also highlighted positive outcomes for individuals supported by the service.

Alex a customer at Barnsley Street, explained that for him that after years of spending time on busy hospital wards, the centre is “like a second family, as soon as you walk through those doors you’re greeted by people that have compassion,” adding that the service “me feel much more of a positive person, it’s reassured me that I have good qualities”.

Alex signed off the segment saying, “I love this place, I really do.”