28 March 2025

Mountain Healthcare has been awarded the contract to provide specialist Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) services for all ages at the Bridgeway SARC in Penrith, Cumbria, from 1^st April 2025.

This contract, awarded by NHS England North East and Yorkshire Specialised Commissioning and Health & Justice and the Office of Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria, will commence on April 1st for an initial two-year term, with the potential to extend for an additional two years.

Patients can rest assured that they will continue to receive the same level of care and attention they have come to expect from The Bridgeway SARC, with the added benefit of enhanced services and resources provided by Mountain Healthcare. 

The Bridgeway SARC will continue to provide integrated clinical and forensic healthcare to people of all ages who have experienced any form of sexual assault at any time in their lives.

SARC services are available to the public for free by appointment only. The service provides acute trauma-informed healthcare and support and forensic medical examinations. 

In addition, the Bridgeway SARC will also offer direct provision of specialist sexual violence fast-track counselling sessions and referrals to Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs), as well as referrals to aftercare services, which address physical and mental health, emotional and social well-being, and wider ongoing needs.  

Service users can be referred by the Police, or they have the option to self-refer directly to the SARC service; this means that they can still receive important healthcare without Police involvement (forensic evidence can be stored at the SARC if they later want to convert to a Police referral). Agencies can contact the SARC for advice and discuss referrals to the service with their consent.  

How to access our services from the 1st of April 2025

Anyone can access our SARC services.

For all service requests, including general enquiries, advice, booking an appointment, and referrals (self-referrals and Police/professional referrals) to the Bridgeway SARC, please call the Mountain Healthcare Pathway Support Service number 0330 223 0099 (available 24/7/365). 

Contact us for advice and support at 0330 223 0099 (available 24/7/365). 

Note: Individuals aged 0-15 will normally be referred to by the Police or Social care.

For more information, visit our website: https://www.thebridgeway.org.uk/ (Please note that the new website will go live at 00:01 on the 1^st of April 2025.)

For help after rape and sexual assault, visit - Help after rape and sexual assault – NHS (www.nhs.uk) 

Learn more about our SARC Services: Healthcare in Sexual Assault Referral Centres – Mountain Healthcare