The NHS is opening a network of mental health A&Es across England to relieve pressure on hospitals amid the ongoing “corridor care” crisis.
These units will be staffed with specialist doctors and nurses to provide 24/7 support for patients feeling suicidal or experiencing symptoms such as psychosis or mania, NHS England confirmed.
Patients will be able to walk in or be referred by GP and the police to these units, designed to be a “calm and welcoming” environment in contrast to the “noise and chaos” of hospitals.
Sir Jim Mackey, the chief executive of NHS England, said “Crowded A&Es are not designed to treat people in mental health crisis. We need to do better, which is why we are pioneering a new model of care where patients get the right support in the right setting.
“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.”
The mental health A&Es hope to relieve pressure on overcrowded hospitals as the “corridor care” crisis ensues. Last year, 250,000 people went to A&E experiencing mental health crises, with one in three waiting more than 12 hours.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) estimated around 320 patients a week may have died in England last year due to excessive waits for hospital beds in A&E departments.
Already, 10 NHS trusts have launched separate units for mental health crises, some on sites alongside existing A&E units, but the scheme is expected to be expanded nationally to dozens of locations as part of the 10 year NHS plan set to be published this summer by the government.
Ladbroke Grove, west London, is home to one of the first new mental health units being rolled out by the NHS. The unit, run by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL), is staffed by a team of mental health nurses, doctors and healthcare assistants round the clock.
Mental health nurse Toti Freysson, who manages the service, told The Times: “Anybody who walks in is seen by a mental health specialist within 10 minutes.”
“Normally in A&E they would have to wait for hours, surrounded by the noise and the chaos. Most of the people we see have suicidal thoughts. Here, they can come in and sit with their families. We are able to intervene early and link them up with treatment in the community. It means we can get them home much sooner.
The new services include a “full and holistic assessment” of a patient’s mental health needs, hoping to address the root causes of a crisis.
The unit’s deputy head of urgent care, Selena Cox, told The Times that staff make sure that patients have a plan, of action going forward. This may involve connecting them to local charities to tackle homelessness, debt or addiction issues, or arranging home treatment team visits.
The Metropolitan Police, the country’s largest force, said in 2023 its officers would not attend mental health call-outs where a healthcare professional is more appropriate.
Claire Murdoch, the NHS national director for mental health, told the newspaper: “I would certainly hope to see these mental health A&Es across the country over the next decade.”
The Independent has contacted the Department of Health and Social Care for comment.
