I’m delighted that a new Mental Health Emergency Department will be opened at University Hospital Southampton under plans announced yesterday by this Labour government.
UHS NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a share of £156 million national funding to open the new department, which will aim to get patients into appropriate care in a calm environment, avoiding long waits in A&E.
When I visited UHS last year, I heard directly about the growing pressures on mental health services in the city and the knock-on effect that this is having in our hospitals. I said at the time that I would raise these concerns and I’m really pleased that the government is going to help make it easier for people in Southampton to be seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting, while also relieving pressure on busy A&E departments.
While specific details of the UHS department are yet to be confirmed, similar clinics piloted by the government since last year are open to walk-in patients as well as those referred by GPs and police, with specialist staff present to treat people in acute mental distress.
This is a government that is serious about turning 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.