People in England needing urgent care will be able to use specialist mental health hubs close to home under government plans.
Ministers plan to create nearly 200 community mental health centres and mental health A&Es by 2029.
The aim is to give people experiencing a mental health crisis or significant distress somewhere to seek help when they need it. Dozens of the hubs are planned for high street sites such as banks and libraries.
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.”
One in five people struggles with their mental health, while thousands go to A&E when they reach crisis point because they cannot find help elsewhere.
The government believes the plans, which build on pilot schemes run in recent years, will help address the problem and ensure people receive expert care when they need it.
A total of 100 new community mental health centres will open in locations including banks and libraries. Some will be housed in new buildings.
They will bring together existing teams of nurses, therapists and support workers.
Many of the hubs are expected to open seven days a week, while some will have beds for people who need a short stay.
Six areas have trialled the approach since 2024.
The government is also promising 59 more dedicated mental health A&Es, in addition to the 23 already operating. Many will be attached to existing A&E departments.
Health secretary Yvette Cooper said: “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.”
Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, broadly welcomed the announcement but raised concerns that mental health emergency departments had not yet been properly tested.
He said children and young people, who will be able to use the services, needed their own dedicated hubs.
Bell also said he was “delighted” that the government was acting on mental health after it had been neglected by successive governments for too long.
He said: “This must now be backed up by investment, most crucially in the workforce needed to provide effective mental health care.”
Stephen Jones of the Royal College of Nursing said investment in staff would be crucial if the centres were to cope with demand.
He said: “More services closer to people’s homes are a crucial step towards more humane care.
“To succeed, both will need specialist mental health nurses at the centre.”
The Department of Health said the programme was backed by £343m. The first sites will open in autumn 2026, with further facilities following from March 2027.
