The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that anyone experiencing a mental health emergency will benefit from more tailored emergency care through specialised mental health ambulances, more crisis services, and improved health-based places of safety.
The government will invest £150 million in mental health services by April 2025. This will allow people experiencing – or at risk of experiencing – mental health crises to receive care and support in more appropriate settings outside of A&E, helping to ease pressures facing the NHS.
Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
“It’s good to see the renewed commitment of £150 million Government funding into mental health services. Having reached record levels of referrals in the past year, the pressures on crisis care is immense. We welcome the investment to build and improve 150 new services which will support those most in need, in some of the most deprived communities.
“It’s clear more must be done to reach people as early and as quickly as possible. The concept of tailored emergency care is positive, and we’re pleased to see the investment of 100 new specialist mental health ambulances, staffed by both physical and mental healthcare professionals. This will go some way in easing system pressures, however, we must remember that times are hard for everyone, with the cost-of-living crisis adding to this, demand for mental health services will continue to rise.”
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
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