Aberdeen counselling service in funding plea as demand soars

An Aberdeen counselling service has urged the local council and NHS to commit to further funding, after a surge in demand saw its referrals almost double.

Cairns Counselling said the closure of fellow charity Mental Health Aberdeen (MHA) had resulted in it cutting the number of free sessions it offered people by half - from 20 to 10 - because so many had been added to its waiting list.

Cairns currently receives grant funding from the city's health and social care partnership, and said continued support was crucial to ensure people get the help they need.

The request will be considered by the partnership at a meeting of the council's Integration Joint Board (IJB) this week.

A decision on the funding request is not expected until next year.

The counselling sessions are offered for free but Cairns asks clients for donations if they can afford it.

Alana More, 28, from Aberdeen, had counselling with Cairns following the death of her father.

She said: "Three years ago, my dad unfortunately took his own life.

"To go through such a tragic event at a young age, I found myself in a place where I really had to make a choice if I was going to focus on my mental health and get through this or go down a more unhealthy route of dealing with that pain and grief.

"From the minute I reached out to Cairns they were so welcoming and empathetic to me and my situation."

Ms More said she hoped the service would receive funding, so it could continue to operate as a "lifeline" for others.

She added: "Mental health should definitely be a priority when thinking about these budgets.

"When I think especially what I've been through, losing my dad because of mental health problems. I think they should really listen."

Cairns Counselling chief executive Claire Moggach said: "Immediately following the closure of MHA we did have a huge increase in referrals.

"It nearly doubled, and that's been a sustained increase in referrals to our service.

"We are providing a service and have done for a long time to the community."

Ms Moggach said most of its referrals were due to recommendations from GPs.

She said the charity currently only received annual funding awards, which could make planning ahead difficult.

She added: "Historically, it was more likely that we would have three-year service level contract, but that hasn't been the case for many years now.

"We are hoping to get some security of future funding.

"Even if it's just for three years it makes a huge difference for services to be able to plan and make the changes that they need to."

Mental Health Aberdeen announced in July it had taken the decision to close with immediate effect after "working tirelessly to explore all available options".

The charity, which operated for 75 years, said it had faced a complex set of circumstances, including growing pressure on its services.

A spokesman for Aberdeen City Health and Care Partnership said: "Cairns's funding will be considered in confidence by the IJB as part of a larger report on grant funding for voluntary organisations."