Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to support for people experiencing a mental health crisis.

The NHS Long Term Plan committed to delivering 100% coverage across the country of age-appropriate mental health crisis-care 24 hours a day, seven days a week via NHS 111 by April 2024. The Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan reiterated this commitment and timescale. Delivering this commitment will enable anyone experiencing mental health crisis to access assessment and, if appropriate, onward referral and treatment at any time of the day by calling NHS 111. Mental health crisis lines are already available 24 hours a day, seven days a week in all areas of the country.

The Department is investing £150 million in mental health urgent and emergency care infrastructure, including £7 million to fund up to 100 new mental health ambulances. The remaining £143 million is funding a range of new and improved facilities, including crisis cafes, crisis houses, urgent mental health assessment and care centres, health-based places of safety and the redesign and refurbishment of some existing suites and facilities including in emergency departments.