Government announces 100 new mental health walk-in centres
The government announced plans to open 100 new mental health walk-in centres across England by 2029, backed by a 343 million pound investment to improve access to mental health services.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The government has announced plans to open 100 new community mental health walk-in centres across England by 2029, as part of a £343 million investment to improve access to mental health services. The centres, which will be located in places such as libraries and banks, will offer support without the need for a referral. In addition, 59 new mental health emergency departments will be added to some hospitals. The first sites are due to open this autumn.
The initiative follows successful pilot schemes. In East London, a facility that opened last year was one of six pilots. Health officials said that during the trial, hospital stays were halved in length, and over three months the total of hospital bed days went down from 216 to 81. In Sheffield, a pilot centre has been running for 18 months, offering walk-in support and bringing together existing teams of mental health nurses, therapists and support workers.
The health secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the plan would bring mental health services together, preventing people from reaching crisis and providing advice on issues such as housing and homelessness. She said the investment would also help reduce pressure on A&E departments, which are often not the right environment for people in mental health crisis.
However, there are concerns about staffing and funding. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine called the announcement a welcome first step but said there were unanswered questions about staffing and how many centres would be open 24/7. The charity MIND noted that mental health accounts for 20% of illnesses the NHS treats but receives only 9% of funding. Some experts said the money appeared to be a re-brand of previously allocated funds, and that no new staff would be recruited. The health secretary acknowledged that the plan relies on existing staff working differently, but said thousands more mental health staff had already been recruited.
Campaigners also worry that the centres may not go far enough, particularly for people who also need physical health support. One mental health advocate, who has been sectioned four times, said the announcement felt like being heard, but stressed the importance of caring staff.
The new network is expected to be fully operational by 2029, with the hope that it will provide a lifeline to those in need and reduce the burden on emergency services.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC One | Channel 4 | ITV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 159 new mental health centres will open across England this autumn. | ||||
| The government announced plans for new mental health centres and emergency departments in England. | ||||
| The investment is £343 million and includes plans for 100 new community mental health hubs. | · | |||
| The aim is to reduce A&E wait times for those in crisis. | · | · | ||
| A pilot in East London reduced hospital bed days from 216 to 81 over three months. | · | · | · | |
| A pilot mental health centre in Sheffield has been operating for around 18 months. | · | · | · | |
| Mental health accounts for 20% of illnesses but receives 9% of NHS funding. | · | · | · | |
| One in five people are struggling with their mental health. | · | · | · | |
| The centres will bring together existing teams of therapists and support workers. | · | · | · | |
| The funding was reported to be a re-brand of money already allocated in May. | · | · | · | |
| The government announced a new report on mental health support for families of seriously ill children. | · | · | · | |
| The health secretary said mental health staffing has already been increased. | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel gave a very brief, factual summary of the announcement, focusing on the numbers and the intended benefit of reducing A&E wait times. It did not include any analysis, expert comment, or concerns about staffing or funding.
- “Up to 159 new mental health centres will open across England this autumn.”
- “The government said the £343 million investment includes plans for 100 new community mental health hubs.”
- “It's hoped that A&E wait times will be reduced for those in need of crisis support.”
This channel provided a detailed and balanced report, including pilot evidence, the health secretary's comments, and concerns from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. It highlighted the potential to reduce hospital stays and A&E admissions, while noting unanswered questions about staffing and 24/7 availability.
- “People in England requiring urgent care for mental health problems will soon be able to get access to specialist walk in hubs close to their homes.”
- “The pilots have worked. The evidence is there that it's better for people.”
- “The Royal College of Emergency Medicine said the announcement was a welcome first step, but there were unanswered questions about staffing and how many of the centres would be open 24-7.”
This channel focused on the practical implementation, including the use of libraries and banks, and featured an interview with a medical director from a pilot site. It highlighted the staffing challenge and the health secretary's response, while also noting the reduction in waiting times and A&E pressure.
- “People struggling with their mental health in England will be able to get help in places like banks and libraries”
- “We've already increased mental health staffing, thousands more mental health staff as a result of work we've done, but we've also need staff to work differently”
- “The idea here is that the waiting times for mental health support are reduced, people don't have to end up in A&E if they are in a crisis.”
This channel gave a human-interest angle, including a personal story from a staff member with lived experience, and highlighted the accessibility of the centres. It also reported on campaigners' concerns about physical health support and the need for more than just mental health care.
- “Nearly 160 mental health centres will open across England this autumn.”
- “The government says there'll be 100 new community mental health centres opened in a variety of locations like libraries and banks.”
- “campaigners worry the centres may not go far enough.”
This channel took a more investigative and critical approach, questioning whether the funding was genuinely new and highlighting the lack of additional staff. It included a personal story from a rapper who had been sectioned, and cited MIND's statistics on mental health funding disparity.
- “more than 150 walk-in hubs for people to seek immediate support for mental health care to be opened across England”
- “It's backed by 340 million pounds, though that would appear to be a re-brand of money already allocated to mental health projects back in May.”
- “Any investment in mental health and psychiatry is welcome, but there is no new workforce to manage this”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.