First 24/7 ‘neighbourhood mental health centre’ announced in 10-year plan now open
The first 24/7 ‘neighbourhood mental health centre’ announced in the 10-year plan has now opened in London.
Earlier this month, the Government pledged to ‘transform mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood care models’ as part of the NHS 10-year plan.
Now NHS England has announced that the first of six neighbourhood mental health centres – which will largely be run by NHS trusts – has opened in East London.
It will bring together community mental health services, including crisis services, community mental health services and short-stay beds and will be run by East London NHS Foundation Trust.
Patients with serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar, will be able to walk in without an appointment if they need support, or advice on employment, housing or volunteering.
NHS England added that the six centres will be staffed by a team that includes psychiatrists, mental health professionals, peer support workers and voluntary sector staff.
More mental health centres to open
The other five centres are set to open in:
- Whitehaven (Cumbria) – Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- Acomb (York) – York Mental Health Partnership
- Heeley (Sheffield) – Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
- East of Birmingham – Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Lewisham (London) – South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Source: NHS England
Primary care minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘Our landmark 10-year health plan committed to transforming mental health services into 24/7 neighbourhood care models.
‘We are hitting the ground running by already opening the first mental health centre, shifting care out of hospitals and into the community and bringing care closer to home where people feel most comfortable and supported.’
NHS England national mental health director Claire Murdoch said: ‘We know that for people with serious mental health problems it can be daunting to seek help, and people can be overwhelmed by the different teams they come into contact with.
‘That is why the NHS has been determined to make mental healthcare as easy as possible. The “one-stop shop” approach will mean that people can get the care they need closer to home and at an earlier stage, with treatment in a comfortable environment.
‘Whether someone needs help with their mental health, housing, or work, they’ll find help in their community, around the clock, and without the need for a referral.’
It comes after one large ICB in London chose a number of hospital trusts – rather than GPs – to oversee the new ‘neighbourhood health service’ across its footprint.
South East London ICB said that, following the 10-year plan, it has approved partnerships between primary and secondary care, called ‘neighbourhood health service integrators’, in four of its six boroughs.
Earlier today, Pulse revealed that GPs in one area have been advised to hold off from taking part in new ‘neighbourhood health programmes’, amid a lack of clarity and fears that these could jeopardise GMS contracts.
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READERS' COMMENTS [2]
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Sounds amazing. This is definitely going to work within existing NHS funding.
Demand will definitely not overwhelm supply, as the public will intuitively know its really for the underserved patients with SMI “such as schizophrenia or bipolar (to) be able to walk in without an appointment if they need support”, and will understand if their relationship issues, personality disorders, DSH, adjustment reactions, ADHD, autism, mean boss/HR or ill-defined acopia are not always top acute priority in the department.
The service will definitely have adequate staffing, who will have endless reserves of calm and empathy, fuelled by the vast new tangible resources made available to them to draw upon.
Therefore a significant proportion of the budget will not end up paying the wages of staff off on long term sick.
The attendees will definitely be provided with medical fixes that were somehow withheld from them all along by in hours services.
The social (work and housing) related resources will definitely be freely accessible to all who identify problems in these areas.
Access will definitely not end up being restricted to only the most serious SMI, and only via a waiting list on receipt of lengthy face to face pre-assessment and referral by their GP on a specific form.
Substance abuse services will definitely be integrated, will be comprehensive from start to detox, will not be rationed, and so patients with dependence issues inextricably linked bidirectionally to their mental ill-health will neither be turned away, nor will such services alone more than exceed the budgetary resource of the entire setup.
“Triage to GP”
“Patient appropriate for GP”
“Dear GP Pt attended with SMI preferred to see Dr that they know so refer back to own surgery to offer same day appt please”
“Dear Dr Pt attended with anxiety/worsening/suicidal thoughts please prescribe 3/5/7 Days of diazepam (delete as appropriate) 2-5mg TDS at your discretion”
“Dear GP surgery,
We are not commissioned to provide blood services or ECG or urinalysis, it is important to exclude important physical health conditions before we see patients in the 24/7 hub. Can you please complete FBC U&E LFT CRP Coeliac screen Bone Profile Lipid Profile Folate B12 Vitamin D Anti-CCP Plasma Viscosity Urinalysis 24 free urinary cortisol a Dexamethasone suppression test ultrasound Doppler of the dorsalis penis prone ECG a sleep deprived EEG MRI of the liver overnight AHI with videography and also the last 7 years of your fridge temperatures and then email this to our consultant for review at which point we will tell you we aren’t commissioned to make a diagnosis or manage patients so will send the template diazepam letter as above”
“GP to provide sick note for ESA and PIP appeal letter please”
Maybe I am being overly cynical