16/10/2026
Today we welcomed Bridget Phillipson MP to our Community Mental Health Hub in Pennywell.
The Hub was launched in March last year and brings together NHS services, community organisations and local support services under one roof, making it easier for people to get the help they need, close to home. It plays a vital role in the local community, helping people stay connected, reducing isolation, and providing support before problems reach crisis point. Since April, more than 2,000 appointments have taken place, with over 3800 hours of 1 to 1 appointments and 1200 hours of group activities and training.
During the visit, we also heard from three service users, who shared their personal experiences and spoke about the positive difference the Hub and our partner organisations have made to their lives. Their stories highlighted the importance of providing support within communities and ensuring people can access the help they need, when they need it.
It was fantastic to showcase the difference the Hub is making and to hear from some of the partners who help us provide joined-up support for local residents. Thank you to all our partners for the incredible work they do every day to support the health and wellbeing of our community.
Partners involved today were; Healthy Heads, Getting Help in Primary Care, Gentoo, Welfare Rights, Autism in Mind, Lift Off, Washington Mind, Sunderland Mind, Wear Recovery, Wearside Women In Need, Handcrafted & Hope4All.
To learn more about our Community Mental Health Hubs, visit: https://sunderlandcommunityofhealth.co.uk/mental-health-hubs/