200 Walk-in Mental Health Centres and Dedicated Mental Health A&es by 2029, With Dozens of Hubs Set to Operate in High Street Locations

The initiative, backed by £343m, aims to provide immediate care for people facing mental health crises, with 100 new community centres bringing together nurses, therapists, and support workers, many open seven days a week and some offering short-stay beds. Additionally, 59 new mental health A&Es will be added to the 23 already operational, often attached to existing emergency departments. Six areas have piloted the approach since 2024, and the first sites will open this autumn, with more following from March 2027. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the centres would be a lifeline, bringing NHS services closer to home.

Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, welcomed the move but urged investment in the workforce and dedicated hubs for children and young people. Stephen Jones of the Royal College of Nursing stressed the need for specialist mental health nurses to meet demand. 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.