Proposals to create dozens of new mental health emergency departments for the NHS have been met with cautious optimism by nurse leaders.
Over recent days and weeks, the UK government has been some of the previewing policies that will form part of its 10 Year Health Plan, which is due to be published imminently.
“There is no societal benefit to being able to access something which is not staffed by genuine specialists in mental health care”
Dan Warrender
Among the new announcements, first aired in May, was the creation of 85 new dedicated mental health emergency departments, to be staffed by “specialist doctors and nurses”, at a cost of £120m.
The government said these new units would allow for walk-in patients, as well as referrals from GPs, and would be open 24/7.
It also said patients would soon be able to self-refer for talking therapies without the need for a GP appointment and the NHS App would be improved to increase the amount of mental health advice and services on offer.
The government suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) could be used for “virtual support as a first resource” on the app, though did not detail how, or what form this would take.
Registered nurse Dr Dan Warrender, speaking on behalf of campaign group Mental Health Deserves Better, told Nursing Times that these ideas were, in his view, good in concept.
“There’s a crisis in access to mental health care,” he said, adding that he had heard service users describe the current state as a “labyrinth” of phone lines.
Dr Warrender continued: “I think having something that is genuinely accessible for people, trying to cut out the middleman… is a great thing. I’m definitely supportive of that.”
However, Dr Warrender – and other Mental Health Deserves Better campaigners – said a “lack of detail” in the current plans worried them.
Chief among them were concerns about the resources being allocated to the new emergency departments.
Dan Warrender
“Who’s going to work in them?” Dr Warrender asked.
“We’ve got NHS organisations with recruitment fees, and there are new mental health nurse graduates who cannot get jobs.
“Where’s the funding coming from, and why is this different to the rest of NHS?”
Dr Warrender also raised questions about how the new units would connect with other services along with other practicalities.
He said: “If there’s already pressure on NHS beds, what happens if somebody needs a bed? How long can we keep a person here?
“Does it end up becoming another sort of de facto mental health ward, where you’ve got a tonne of people that need to go somewhere, but there’s nowhere for them to go, so they become stuck.
“How does it connect with police services, emergency services? How does it connect with the fact that people will often need physical health care as well? Is that an integrated service?”
The government’s announcement also provided an update on its target to recruit 8,500 new “mental health workers” by the end of the current parliament, with 6,700 having been brought in so far since July 2024.
Dr Warrender urged the government to clarify how many of these new workers were registered mental health professionals, adding that the proposed emergency units must be operated by specialists, including registered mental health nurses.
“There is no societal benefit to being able to access something which is not staffed by genuine specialists in mental health care,” he continued.
Similarly, Stephen Jones, head of nursing practice for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said the government’s figures should be “treated with caution” and criticised a “lack of clarity” about what roles had been recruited.
Mr Jones said the emergency departments would only work if ongoing workforce issues are addressed.
“The success of new specialist emergency departments and changes to the NHS App will be dependent on addressing staff shortages in mental health nursing and building capacity in the community so people get treatment before they reach a crisis,” he said.
“Nursing staff must be central to the design, delivery and governance of these new mental health emergency settings, ensuring they meet both the physical and health needs of their patients.
“That’s how we achieve parity of esteem between mental and physical healthcare and guarantee these reforms deliver compassionate and safe care for patients,” said Mr Jones.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting is expected to release the final 10 Year Health Plan later this week. In it, further details on the mental health emergency departments may be outlined.
Speaking after this initial announcement, Mr Streeting said: “Not getting the right support for your mental health isn’t just debilitating, it can hit a painful pause button on your life.
“Patients have faced the crisis of access to mental health services for far too long, and this government is determined to change that through our Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS.
“That’s why we’re putting digital front doors on mental health services for patients up and down the country, and harnessing technology to provide 24-hour care,” he said.
“And we’re creating more opportunities for support not just through the NHS App but through care in your community, too,” he added.
