Mental health A&E centres to open across England

Mental health A&E centres to open across England

The NHS has announced plans to open specialist mental health crisis centers across England over the next decade in order to alleviate overcrowding in accident and emergency departments (A&E). Ten hospital trusts have been taking part in pilot programs for new assessment centers designed to assist individuals in the midst of a mental health crisis. The goal is to direct these patients to appropriate care in a serene environment, thus avoiding prolonged waits in A&E. NHS England has stated that the establishment of these new units will help reduce the strain on hospitals and emergency services, including law enforcement.

According to the government, the initiative is set to be rolled out nationally to numerous locations as part of its ten-year NHS plan. These facilities will be available to both walk-in patients and those referred by GPs and the police, with specialized personnel on hand to care for individuals in severe mental distress. NHS England chief Sir Jim Mackey praised the innovative new care model in an interview with The Times, highlighting the importance of providing individuals with the necessary support in the appropriate setting to not only ease the burden on busy A&Es but also to expedite access to suitable care.

Although Andy Bell, the CEO of the Centre for Mental Health, expressed skepticism about the untested nature of the scheme, he emphasized the need for separate facilities to be established thoughtfully to address both physical and mental health problems. Bell stressed the importance of thoroughly testing the model at each stage before considering a nationwide rollout. Additionally, he called for increased funding for NHS mental health services, pointing out that the share of health expenditure allocated to mental health treatment had decreased last year and was expected to do so again. In light of a recent study revealing a record number of individuals waiting over 12 hours in A&E after being approved for admission to a ward, the government also announced an expansion of a program to assist GPs in providing care and guidance to patients without them having to join lengthy NHS hospital waiting lists

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