Mental Health Services: Rural Areas
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the accessibility of urgent mental health support for people in rural areas; and what steps he is taking to help ensure equitable service provision compared to urban areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care services to meet the needs of their local populations. We plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England, to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.
Anyone in England who needs urgent mental health support can now speak to a trained National Health Service professional at any time through a new mental health option on NHS 111. Trained NHS staff will assess patients over the phone and guide callers with next steps such organising face-to-face community support or facilitating access to alternatives services, such as crisis cafés or safe havens, which provide a place for people to stay as an alternative to accident and emergency or hospital admission.
As set out in the Autumn Budget 2024, we are also committing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres, reducing pressure on busy emergency mental health and accident and emergency services, and ensuring that people have the support they need when they need it.
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