The
NHS
is planning to establish a network of ‘serene and hospitable’ mental health emergency departments across England to care for patients experiencing crises.
Specialist teams will provide round-the-clock care to ease pressure on hospitals and emergency services that are already overburdened.
Approximately 250,000 individuals visited emergency departments last year because of a mental health crisis, with roughly one-fourth experiencing waits lasting 12 hours or more.
This follows extensive wait times and what’s referred to as the ‘corridor care’ crisis at key hospitals being associated with numerous preventable fatalities.
Doctors and nurses at the new mental health emergency departments will assist patients who are either contemplating suicide or exhibiting symptoms like psychosis or mania.
Individuals can visit these centers directly or get referred by their doctor or the police.
It has been reported that the A&Es will be created to offer a ‘tranquil and compassionate setting,’ instead of the ‘din and turmoil’ typically found in bustling emergency departments.
For instance, a facility that has already launched in Ladbroke Grove, West London, features two ’emotional support dogs’ that snuggle with patients.
Fresh fruits, cookies, tea, and coffee along with other refreshments are set up for visitors who stop by.
Sir Jim Mackey, CEO of NHS England, stated
The Times
Overcrowded emergency departments are not equipped to handle individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
We must improve, so we’re introducing a fresh approach to care where patients receive appropriate assistance in the proper environment.
In addition to easing the burden on our overcrowded emergency departments, mental health crisis assessment centres can accelerate access to suitable care, providing individuals with the support they require more promptly so they can remain outside of the hospital setting.
Separate mental health A&Es have already been introduced by ten NHS trusts – with the scheme set to be expanded in the next decade by the Labour government.
It comes as UK public services have been struggling to cope with a rise in demand from people suffering from mental health issues.
Last year, the Metropolitan Police stated they would cease responding to mental health-related emergencies unless there was a risk to someone’s life.
This change aims to allow officers to focus more on their primary duties instead of handling patients who require assistance from healthcare professionals.
However, significant worries emerged regarding the implications of this policy shift for susceptible people and if it would turn out to be feasible in reality.
A representative from the Met stated that additional force was required to ‘counterbalance the uneven distribution of accountability,’ highlighting the significant duration these incidents consume.
The Humberside Police implemented a comparable approach called Right Care, Right Person (RCRP) in 2020, where mental health experts handle emergency calls.