NERIL has been a fully approved help-line by the national regulatory body.
The Telephone Help-line Association since 1999 and has been recognised as a project of good practice by the Rural Community Council of Essex in the Community Care Plan for Essex, 1998-2000.
In December 2001, NERIL was awarded a Community Legal Service Quality Mark, Assisted Information Level. NERIL is a partner in the North Essex Mental Health Partnership Trusts 24 hour access to Mental Health Services in North Essex.
In November 2002, Neril won the national British Telecom Telephone Help lines Association Award for Innovative Partnership Working.
Neril operates Daily from 4.00 pm to Midnight.
Night NERIL then runs from 12 Midnight to 8 am the next morning.
There is always a staff supervisor on duty, as well as trained and CRB checked volunteers. Some of the team have relevant experience in the caring professions and direct knowledge of experience of mental health needs through their own or close relatives experience.
Neril originally opened its lines as MERIL, a service only for mid-Essex, in November 1997. Since then the rate of usage is steadily increasing. It has now become a highly respected community service.
Although NERIL is a confidential service, help-line workers must break confidentiality if it is considered that significant self harm or harm to others may occur.
The purpose of the NERIL help-line is to provide information and support to service users, their relatives and carers, over the age of 16 in Epping, Harlow, Uttlesford, Chelmsford, Maldon, Braintree district, Colchester and Tendering. NERIL uses a resource library of information and services and operates from an undisclosed location.
Many of the calls NERIL receives are for information and listening support, some callers want to find more information about mental illness and some of the calls require crisis and emergency support.
(Taken from NERIL publicity literature Courtesy of Maldon MIND)
