The Government has announced a £353 million plan to transform mental health care in England, described as the biggest redesign of services in a generation. The initiative includes 100 new neighbourhood centres offering walk-in support without a referral, and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments to reduce A&E waits.
New centres to provide early help
The neighbourhood centres are designed to offer quick help before people reach crisis point, with support from specialist teams. They will work alongside GPs, councils, voluntary organisations, and families, with direct links to housing and employment support. Some will be newly built, while others will be located in libraries, banks, and high street venues.
Emergency departments for urgent care
The 59 new emergency departments, bringing the total in England to 82, will be based within existing emergency departments. They will provide a calm environment where patients can be assessed quickly, preventing those in need of urgent care from spending hours in A&E.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E." He added: "These new centres will be a lifeline for so many. They will bring NHS services closer to home, making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place."
Rising demand and pilot success
Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, with an estimated 9.4 million people in England—one in five—affected by a common mental health condition. A recent NHS survey of 2,000 adults found almost three in five people with conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, and OCD delayed seeking support. The rollout follows the success of six pilot centres across the country.
First sites opening this autumn
The first sites will open this autumn, with more following from March 2027. Brian Dow, deputy chief executive at Rethink Mental Illness, welcomed the plan, saying: "Everyone should be able to access mental health support in their local community, when and where they need it. The expansion of neighbourhood mental health centres is a vital step towards making this a reality, building on the promising results of existing pilot sites."
Dr Nick Broughton, the NHS’s national priority programme director for mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental conditions, said: "Across the country, NHS teams are already working to provide mental health support closer to where people live, alongside specialist care for those who need more urgent help. The rollout of more community mental health centres and dedicated mental health emergency departments will build on this work, strengthening both early support in the community and care for people in crisis, while helping services work together more effectively around people’s needs."
Debbie Laycock, head of policy, public affairs and campaigns at Samaritans, said: "We hope today’s news is a sign that suicide prevention is a priority for the new Prime Minister and Health Secretary. For too long, people in crisis have been given poor options for support and often charities like ours pick up the slack. So this is a great step up from the Department of Health and Social Care that will help people before they reach crisis point and ensure they get better support if they are in distress." She added: "Samaritans currently answers a call for help every 10 seconds so the need for support is urgent, therefore we want these facilities open as soon as possible."
