Urgent mental health centres to open across England

Specialist mental health crisis centres will be opened across England over the next decade in an attempt to reduce crowding in accident and emergency (A&E) departments, the NHS has confirmed.

Ten hospital trusts have been piloting new assessment centres to deal with people experiencing a mental health crisis.

The aim is to get these patients into appropriate care in a calm environment, avoiding long waits in A&E.

NHS England said the new units would reduce overcrowding in hospitals and relieve pressure on emergency services, including the police.

But Andy Bell, the CEO of the Centre for Mental Health, an independent charity, said any new provision needed to be properly funded.

Conservative MP Luke Evans, the shadow minister for health and social care, said that he "welcomed" the plans, but raised concerns over cuts to mental health spending from the overall NHS budget.

He said the plans had "forced mental health charities and local authorities to redirect their resources away from those struggling most".

"This government must now make sure that these units are funded properly so that those struggling the most with their mental health can receive the targeted and compassionate care they're in need of."

Helen Morgan MP, the Liberal Democrats health and social care spokesperson, said: "The government should also be reinstating the scrapped NHS mental health targets, so that people can get the help they need before they reach breaking point."

NHS England said the new centres will be in:

Additional reporting by Rachel Muller-Heyndyk