SDS provides individuals with person-centred one-to-one specialist mental health support. Support is tailored, flexible and recovery focused.
Support is delivered by experienced Mental Health Support Workers; we aim to deliver a culturally sensitive service which meets the needs of the communities in Leeds. We currently have a staff team of 12, working across the city, 7 days per week.
We recently introduced a volunteer to the team who will further enhance the current support being offered and provide additional opportunities for our service users.
Service user involvement and peer support are an area where we have seen involvement increase massively; it was such a pleasure to see two of our SDS service users present to the audience so confidently at last year’s AGM. We are working hard to raise awareness of individual budgets for people and carers with mental health issues.
We have supported 26 service users delivering on average of 115 hours of one-to-one support each week. Co-production is central to the partnership which is developed between the Support Workers and service users. The SDS service offers choice, flexibility and control to individuals about how and when they are supported. Due to the specific, tailored support SDS is able to offer we have seen the following positive outcomes:

  • Reduction in access to crisis services
  • Service users accessing education, training & voluntary work
  • Service user embarked on driving lessons
  • Fewer hospital admissions
  • Completion of 2nd year IT course
  • Began forklift driver training course
  • Completed programme with music therapist
  • Travelling independently across the city
  • Improvements in home environment
  • Increased confidence & self-esteem
  • Making new social contacts
  • Learning & developing new skills
  • Reduced risk of homelessness due to better management of tenancy
  • Improved family contacts
  • Greater involvement in community based activity

“Client’s mental health and social needs have improved since receiving support from Touchstone SDS service.” – Social Worker within the CMHT
“Mum is so motivated now and really looks forward to her worker coming. She is much healthier and her fitness has improved, she is getting out most days and trying loads of new things.” – Family member
“My worker has helped me to travel around on buses to town, which I have not been able to achieve for the past 2 years. He’s also supported me to buy a laptop; shown me how to use the Internet, and set up an email address and I can now send emails!” – SDS Service user
“I would like to say thank you to Touchstone SDS team, who have placed sincere effort to help me through the journey I am on to recovery, due to having an honest, open, trustworthy relationship with the staff.” – SDS Service user
Touchstone Annual Review 2015-2016