A new mental health emergency department will be created in Margate as part of a nationwide rollout of up to 159 sites designed to help people get support earlier, closer to home and before they reach crisis point.
Local NHS teams across the South East are working towards delivering 11 new Mental Health Emergency Departments and 12 new Community Mental Health Centres over the next four years.
In Margate the mental health emergency department will be based at the Thanet Mental Health Unit on the grounds of QEQM Hospital and is understood to involve an expansion of the Thanet Safe Haven.
Kent also has two other locations for new mental health departments at William Harvey Hospital, Ashford and the Medway Maritime Hospital
The facilities represent the biggest redesign of NHS mental health services in a generation and will significantly expand access to specialist support across, Kent and Medway, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
New Mental Health Emergency Departments will provide fast, same‑day specialist care for people experiencing a mental health crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E.
They will offer a calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care – whether that’s inpatient treatment, support at home or community services. This will help reduce pressure on busy emergency departments and ensure people receive the right care in the right place.
Over the next four years, the new mental health emergency departments will be developed either as new builds or by repurposing existing sites.
Dr Christopher Tibbs, NHS England South East Medical Director, said: “When someone is struggling with their mental health, getting the right support quickly and in a place that feels safe can make all the difference. These new centres will mean people across the South East can get help earlier and closer to home, with teams who understand their needs and can offer personalised support before problems escalate.
“And when someone is in crisis, our new mental health emergency departments will provide a calm, specialist environment where they can be seen straight away by the right professionals, rather than waiting in a busy A&E.
“This investment is about improving people’s experience of care — helping them feel listened to, supported and connected to services that can make a real difference in their lives.”
The rollout is part of the 10‑Year Health Plan, backed by more than £327 million in mental health facilities over the next four years.
Some £156 million has been allocated to trusts for the initial 59 new emergency mental health departments.
The first sites open from autumn this year, with further facilities following from March 2027.
Sounds great but how will they be staffed: will the present mental health services have to be stretched to cover them?
^ Hopefully some of the budget would be allocated for staffing?
If implemented properly this could be excellent news for pretty much everyone.. patients, families, emergency services.. a much needed resource!
Could the big rise in mental health problems do with wide-spread cannabis use?
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/largest-ever-study-into-cannabis-use-investigates-risk-of-paranoia-and-poor-mental-health-in-the-general-population
Yes but this article isn’t about that.
About time they opened the MH A&E. Something I mentioned years ago to the then CEO.
This really will free up the department
i agree with Mr Checksfield , in a drug ridden area like thanet i would think its fair to say that a lot of the mental health problems in thanet are linked to the drugs trade.
Cannabis today is not your grandparents’ cannabis… I have a niece who works in an NHS trust, not Kent, and a large majority of her clients are ‘recreational’ cannabis users.
i do hope that before people start to disagree with Mr Checksfied , that they take the time to read the link he provided , its all there to see , so if drug use was not so prevalent in thanet , perhaps this vast sum of money could be spent on the people in thanet that are NOT drug addicts !
So.
Less than £100M nationally per year?
How much taxpayer money is being given to Zelensky to spaff on coke and fireworks this year?
Risible!
They should refer the TDC higher-ups there for an evaluation.