The North East is to get 12 new mental health centres under a £343mn government plan to give people earlier local support and specialist crisis care outside A&E. They will be among 159 centres bringing crucial support directly into neighbourhoods across England, said ministers. The new centres in communities are designed to catch problems early, so fewer people reach crisis point in the first place. People in crisis will get dedicated mental health emergency care rather than a long wait in a busy A&E. Those struggling with their mental health will get help earlier and closer to home.
The government described the rollout is the biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation. It will more than double the number of dedicated emergency departments in England, taking the total to 82. This is the first phase of a wider rollout set out in the 10 Year Health Plan, backed by £343mn in mental health facilities.
It includes 100 new community mental health centres, offering walk-in support without a referral and without a months-long wait, and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments giving people in crisis specialist care in a place designed for them. The first sites open from autumn this year, with further facilities following from March 2027.
In the North East, there will be mental health emergency departments at Lanchester Road Hospital, Durham, Roseberry Park (formerly St Luke’s Hospital), Middlesbrough, St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth, and an unspecified site in Sunderland. There will be community based mental health centres in County Durham (2), Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesborough, Newcastle, Redcar & Cleveland and Sunderland.
Rising demand
Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around one in five people experiencing a common mental health condition each year. Too often, people only receive support once they reach crisis point, leaving families without the help they need and placing greater pressure on NHS services.
The new centres, said the government, would 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.
A lifeline
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. 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.
“On the steps of Downing Street, I said we would build a country that acts sooner when people need help. Today is just the start of making that a reality.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need.
These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.
“This is how we can turn the tide on mental ill health – preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care, and building an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it.”
At the heart of communities
Some of the 100 community hubs will be newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high street locations to move care closer to where people live, improving access.
They will all be in the heart of the neighbourhoods they serve and designed as welcoming settings with a non-clinical appearance, said the government.
Alongside this, 59 new mental health emergency departments will provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E.
Located with emergency departments and working closely with ambulance and police services, they would provide a calm, therapeutic environment where people could be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care, whether that’s inpatient treatment, support at home or community services, added ministers.
*This report is based on a press release from the Department of Health and Social Care and the Prime Minister’s Office.
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