The hub which will be in Bethnal Green will be there for anyone known to GP and mental health services in the area, with serious mental health problems, to drop into the centre without an appointment to receive support from psychiatrists, mental health professionals, social workers, voluntary sector workers and peer support workers.
The new neighbourhood mental health centres will be open 24 hours a day and seven days a week bringing together all aspects of community mental health services.
People could receive psychological therapies, medication and other interventions while also having access to expertise that can help with other important issues that may impact on their wellbeing and recovery such as housing or employment. It will include the option of crisis beds/hospitality beds.
ELFT and social care provider Look Ahead said, "We are delighted to have been selected as a site for this innovative community pilot. It will provide an opportunity for us to work with service users to create something different for people who need mental health support to provide support at an early stage ultimately as an alternative to hospital admission. Our preliminary meetings with partners and service user focus groups have generated considerable interest and excitement. We can't wait to get started!"
People who use mental health services are pleased too with one saying, "We are excited about the new pilot service. It's great that service users are involved from the beginning. Service users and staff alike are passionate about this model and we hope we can create and maintain a better mental health service."
The pilot aims to provide effective mental health treatment and support to people where they live at an early stage to prevent the need for hospital admission later down the line. This approach will be less disruptive and upsetting for service users, less stressful with their care more tailored and person-centred.
Launching the six schemes, Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s Mental Health Director, 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 health care as easy as possible by giving people all the support they need in one local neighbourhood centre from help with their health needs but also support with other key issues such as housing and employment, which enable people to stay well and be a valued member of their local community."
Other Pilot sites
The six neighbourhoods where the mental health centres are based in the below inner city and rural locations:
Whitehaven run by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne, and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
York run by York Mental Health Partnership
Birmingham East Central run by Birmingham and Solihull NHS Foundation Trust
Tower Hamlets run by East London Foundation Trust
Lewisham run by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Sheffield run by Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS FT.