People in a mental health crisis in England can now call NHS 111
Millions of patients experiencing a mental health crisis can get help through NHS 111, making England one of the first countries in the world to offer 24-hour support via a single phone line.
People of all ages, including children in crisis or concerned family members, can now call 111, choose the mental health option and speak to a trained mental health professional, officials said.
NHS staff can advise callers on next steps, such as face-to-face support in the community or alternative services such as crisis cafes or safe havens where people can stay as an alternative to A&E or hospital.
Previously, local health systems had their own support services and phone lines, but these were ramped up during the pandemic and are handling about 200,000 calls per month.
Mental health leaders welcomed the move, saying they hoped it would make it easier for people to access the help they need. However, NHS leaders raised concerns about existing pressures on 111 and mental health waiting lists.
Announcing the change, Claire Murdoch, director of mental health at NHS England, said she wanted to ensure people in crisis had easy and immediate access to the support they needed.
“While the NHS has made significant progress during the pandemic with local services setting up their own crisis phone lines, we want to go a step further by providing people across England with a single point of access through NHS 111,” she said.
“And I am extremely proud that we are becoming one of the first countries in the world to offer people a free universal support package through one easily accessible telephone line.”
Stephen Kinnock, the care secretary, said the move was part of the new government’s plans to fix the “broken” NHS and give mental health “the same attention and focus” as physical health.
Mark Winstanley, director of Rethink Mental Illness, welcomed the change, saying he hoped it would “make it easier for people to access the help they need”.
“A mental health crisis is traumatic and disorienting, and getting help as soon as possible is essential,” he added. “The last thing people need when they or a loved one are in crisis is uncertainty about where to turn.”
However, Saffron Cordery, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, said trusts remained “deeply concerned” about the level of unmet need for those seeking mental health support. Latest national figures show more than 350,000 children and young people and almost 250,000 adults are waiting for treatment from community mental health services, she added.
She added that demand and pressure on NHS 111 services, many of which were run by already stretched ambulance services, remains much higher than before the pandemic.
“It is vital that trusts and their local partners, such as schools, local authorities and the voluntary sector, get the funding they need to deliver on crisis pathway ambitions for people of all ages, and to help individuals before they reach crisis point,” she said.