Emirates Health Services provides mental health support on digital channels

Dubai: To boost mental health awareness, the federal Emirates Health Services (EHS) is running digital channels to provide counselling and psychological support over the phone or by text messages and email.

EHS recently said the ‘Speak and be Heard’ helpline, which operates daily from 9am to 9pm, is available on toll free number 8008877. EHS services can also be availed by sending an email to alamal.consultations@ehs.gov.ae. Moreover, EHS provides medical advice on its social media channels.

Dr Noor Al Muhairi, EHS director of Mental Health Department, said: “EHS provides high standards of health care and mental health services within a system of smart technologies based on artificial intelligence [AI]. Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, which is part of our network, provides patients with a number of channels that allows them to benefit from its health services, while preserving their privacy, and encouraging patients to engage and benefit from the highly efficient smart services at the hospital.”

Integrated team

Al Muhairi said Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital is “the largest mental health care facility in the UAE”. It has six clinical academic groups and emergency services equipped with an integrated team that includes psychiatrists, consultants, psychologists, and social workers. Support services are also provided through a team speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists in addition to family physicians and medical practitioners.

There is also a network of community mental health clinics and psychiatric emergency services that are available 24 hours a day.

The hospital also provides psychosocial and occupational rehabilitation programs for patients with chronic mental illnesses, as well as Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services for patients under the age of 18 years.