More funding, more support, less stigma: Bringing mental healthcare closer to our local communities
People in a mental health crisis often don't know where to get help until they reach a breaking point – with many ending up in A&E.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust welcomes the Government's announcement on new funding for mental health crisis centres to be deployed in the community, so that we bring care closer to those who need it most.
South London, we are set to deploy new community centres in three of our boroughs, focusing on bringing urgent care directly into neighbourhoods while also supporting early intervention so fewer people reach crisis points.
In line with the commitments set out in the NHS 10 Year Plan, we are developing new Mental Health Crisis Assessment Services (MHCAS) and Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres to support the transition into community first care.
We are in the final stages of development for our dedicated mental health Urgent Treatment Centre on the Maudsley site at Denmark Hill which is set to open later this year as part of our acute and urgent care development programme.
Paul Calaminus, Chief Executive Officer at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re delighted to welcome this shift in mental healthcare to meet people where they are. Urgent Treatment Centres within the community will play an important role in improving urgent mental health care for our local populations.
“We see every day in South London that many people do not seek support for their mental health due to stigma, cultural beliefs or access issues – until they reach their breaking point and end up in A&Es. These new urgent and community centres will make urgent treatment for mental health more accessible while reducing pressures on other services.”
Professor Derek Tracy, Chief Medical Officer at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, added: “I know that most mental health professionals will join me in celebrating this positive announcement for our sector. Bringing mental health care closer to our communities is an approach we’ve been investing in across South London. Our recent 24/7 community service pilot in Lewisham is one of the six early pioneers of this appropriate emphasis and enhancement of community care, with the learning from this helping to shape the future of mental health services in line with the NHS 10 Year Plan.
“We’ve had promising positive feedback from the communities and the teams about the pilot, and our early data are showing the work making a difference in terms of reduced need for emergency and crisis care. We are looking forward to seeing the great work continue and branch outward across London and England to support more people in need.”
The refurbishment of the Lewisham centre has been funded by Maudsley Charity, which is also funding a high quality evaluation to inform practice in other parts of the country.
Additionally, our local community Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres have been provisionally allocated funding for development to provide flexible support for people who need support for their mental health in the community. Through this, we are aiming to provide not only local support, but support that is culturally sensitive and person-centred to prevent avoidable inpatient admissions.
Up to 100 new walk-in community mental health centres and 59 mental health emergency departments are in progress nationally, supported by £350 million in funding. For us, this means provisional funding for three more centres resulting in at least one in each of our boroughs by 2030.
The new nationwide centres will make it easier for people to access the right help when they first ask for it. Through this, we will be actively bringing together mental health and specialist teams who will work alongside GPs, local councils, voluntary organisations, families and wider wellbeing support.
The new centres will make it far easier for people to get the right help the first time they ask for it, by bringing mental health and specialist teams together under one roof – working alongside GPs, councils, the voluntary sector and families, with direct links into housing and employment support.