On Helplines Awareness Day (23 February), Rachel Luby shares how her own life-saving call to the urgent mental health helpline inspired her to become a Senior Practitioner with Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s (EPUTs) Crisis Response Service, where she now provides compassionate support to others in need.
Rachel’s story is one of lived experience, resilience and giving back. She brings nearly a decade of nursing experience to her role, but her connection to the service is more than professional – it is personal.
Before joining EPUT, Rachel experienced her own mental health crisis after moving to Essex and was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder, personality disorder and ADHD. During that time, she contacted the urgent mental health helpline via NHS 111.
“I called at 3am feeling suicidal and with a plan,” she recalls. “I didn’t want to act on it – that’s why I reached out. I felt heard. I was given as much control as possible over decisions. I wasn’t just being told to go for a walk or have a bath. It was about my strengths and what I could do.”
Rachel later required hospital admission, and describes the support she received as compassionate and empowering. That experience inspired her to apply for a role within the very service that supported her. “I felt I had something to offer,” she says.
EPUT’s Crisis Response Service supports people across Essex who are experiencing urgent mental health difficulties. The team receives referrals from GPs, talking therapies, emergency services, family members and individuals themselves who have called 111 and selected the option for mental health. In 2025, the service answered more than 56,000 crisis calls.
Rachel’s role includes telephone triage, comprehensive risk assessment and co-producing personalised safety plans. “We look at risk to the individual, risk to others and safeguarding concerns,” she explains. “But we don’t just focus on risk – we look at the whole picture. Housing stress, bereavement, alcohol or drug use – all the factors contributing to someone’s crisis.”
The service works closely with partner organisations including Sanctuary services for same-day emotional support, drug and alcohol services, Citizens Advice and local housing providers to ensure people receive timely and appropriate support. Where needed, they can arrange face-to-face assessments, referrals to Home Treatment teams, Mental Health Act assessments, short stays in crisis houses for respite and stabilisation, or signposting to specialist services.
For Rachel, one of the most meaningful aspects of her role is being the first point of contact for someone who feels alone. “For some people, it’s the first time they’ve recognised they’re in crisis,” she says. “We want them to know they’re not alone and that support is out there. Crisis doesn’t just happen between 9am and 5pm. It’s important people know we’re here 24/7.”
Rachel says one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is knowing she has made a difference, even if only to one person. “For that person, we do make a difference. I genuinely believe that.”
Rachel also highlights the supportive culture within the team. “We extend the compassion we give to patients to each other. If someone takes a difficult call, we talk it through. It’s a kind and supportive place to work.”
On Helplines Awareness Day, Rachel hopes her journey from caller to clinician encourages more people to reach out if they are struggling, and reassures them that compassionate support is available around the clock.