Mental Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the availability of walk-in mental health support.
Answered by Dr Zubir Ahmed
The Government has already taken significant steps to stabilise and improve National Health Service mental health services but there is much more to do. Transforming the system will take time, but we are committed to delivering a new approach to mental health.
Six community based Mental Health Centres are now operating across England, in Birmingham, York, Copeland, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, and Sheffield, providing open access to treatment and support for adults with severe mental health needs. The centres intend to improve continuity of care, drive down waits, and reduce inpatient admissions.
We are also making £473 million of capital funding available over the next four years, which we encourage systems to invest in new care models such as Mental Health Centres and also new Mental Health Emergency Departments, reducing pressure on busy accident and emergency services and ensuring people have the right support they need in calm and compassionate environments.
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