In a significant move aimed at addressing the growing strain on accident and emergency (A&E) departments, NHS England has confirmed the national rollout of specialist mental health crisis centres over the next decade.
The plan follows a successful pilot involving ten hospital trusts and is set to expand to dozens of locations across the country. These new crisis assessment units are designed to provide immediate and specialised care to individuals experiencing acute mental health distress.
By offering walk-in services and accepting referrals from GPs and police, the initiative seeks to divert patients from overcrowded A&E departments, offering them timely support in calmer, more appropriate settings.
Sir Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS England, described the centres as a “pioneering new model of care” in an interview with The Times.
“As well as relieving pressure on our busy A&Es, mental health crisis assessment centres can speed up access to appropriate care, offering people the help they need much sooner so they can stay out of hospital,” Mackey stated.
The centres will be staffed with trained mental health professionals capable of delivering swift assessments and initial interventions.
They aim to reduce the burden on emergency services, including the police, who are often first responders in mental health-related incidents.
However, not everyone is fully convinced of the programme’s efficacy or sustainability. Andy Bell, CEO of the Centre for Mental Health, voiced concerns on BBC Breakfast, warning that the model remains largely untested.
“We need to robustly test the model at every stage before we even think about rolling it out nationally,” Bell said.
He also cautioned against oversimplifying the divide between mental and physical health needs. “It’s not possible to separate out physical and mental health problems so simply. Any new facilities need to be designed and implemented very carefully,” he added.
Bell further highlighted a worrying trend in NHS mental health funding. “The share of health spending on mental health treatment went down last year and is set to do so again,” he noted, calling on the government to ensure that the new centres are adequately funded to meet demand.
The announcement comes amid increasing concern over the state of emergency care in England. Recent figures show that over 60,000 people waited more than 12 hours in A&E after a decision to admit them to a ward in January—an all-time high and accounting for 11% of all emergency admissions.
In tandem with the new mental health initiative, the government last month expanded a programme allowing general practitioners to offer patients more care and advice without adding to hospital waiting lists.
This multi-pronged approach is part of a broader ten-year NHS plan to modernise care and reduce bottlenecks across the health system.
While the mental health crisis centres represent a promising step towards more integrated and responsive care, experts agree that success will depend heavily on careful implementation and sustained financial support.
