Require every ICB to establish one self-referral mental-health hub per 250,000 population, open 10 am–10 pm with no ID checks. Staff hubs, including lived-experience practitioners, offering same-day peer triage, one-hour support, medication reviews, and bookings into therapy or crisis teams.
People can endure weeks or months waiting for therapy, crisis support or medication review, worsening distress which can leading to preventable emergencies or hospital admissions. We believe zero-wait self-referral hubs with peer support and on-site medication reviews could provide immediate, trauma-informed care, reduce A&E pressures, and ensure safer, more effective treatment.