• People needing mental health support across the North East and Yorkshire will benefit from new NHS facilities as part of a national roll-out of 159 new sites.
• Community mental health centres on high streets and in neighbourhoods will help people get support earlier, closer to home and before they reach crisis point.
• People in crisis across the region will no longer have to rely on busy A&Es with the roll-out of dedicated Mental health emergency departments.

People experiencing mental health problems across the North East and Yorkshire will get faster, more joined-up care closer to home as the government today announces up to 159 new mental health facilities across England.

Local NHS teams across the region are working towards delivering 15 new community mental health centres and 10 new mental health emergency departments, subject to approvals, as part of the biggest redesign of NHS neighbourhood mental health services in a generation.

The new community mental health centres will bring together mental health and specialist teams under one roof, making it easier for people in the North East and Yorkshire to get the right support before problems escalate. Working alongside GPs, local authorities, the voluntary sector and families, with links to housing and employment support, they will deliver joined-up care tailored to communities.

The announcement comes as the Health and Social Care Secretary, Yvette Cooper, visits a community mental health centre in Sheffield – one of six already operating in England.

Some of the mental health centres will be newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high street locations to move care closer to where people live. They will be the heart of the neighbourhoods they serve and designed as welcoming settings with a non-clinical appearance.

The new mental health emergency departments across the region will provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E. Located with emergency departments and working closely with ambulance and police services, they will provide a calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care, whether that’s inpatient treatment, support at home or community services.

Dr Yasmin Khan, Regional Medical Director (Interim) for NHS North East and Yorkshire, explained that demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around one in five people experiencing a common mental health condition each year.

“These new community mental health centres represent a real opportunity to transform the way people access support across the North East and Yorkshire,” Dr Khan said.

“By bringing care closer to home and helping people get the right support earlier, we can make a meaningful difference before challenges become crises. And when urgent help is needed, new mental health emergency departments will ensure people are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right environment. This is an important step towards a future where more people get help when they need it, waiting times are reduced, and mental health care is focused on prevention as well as treatment.

“If you, a friend, family member or colleague is struggling, please don’t wait until things reach crisis point. Reach out, seek support early, and help us build a future where mental health care is accessible, compassionate and available whenever it is needed.”

The rollout announced today is a major step towards shifting mental health care from crisis to prevention. Nationally, it includes 100 new community mental health centres to help people get support earlier and closer to home, alongside 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments providing specialist care for people in crisis. Backed by £343 million, they represent the biggest redesign of NHS neighbourhood mental health services in a generation.

The announcement also supports the government’s mission to shift care from crisis to prevention, helping people get support earlier and closer to home. It aligns with the forthcoming Mental Health Strategy, which will look beyond the NHS to the role of schools, employers, local government and the voluntary sector in supporting good mental health.

Nationally, the first wave of sites is expected to open from this autumn, with further facilities opening from March next year. The first wave will include 27 mental health emergency departments and 43 community mental health centres.

Further information

North East & Yorkshire

Mental Health Emergency Department

• Barnsley District General Hospital
• Lanchester Road Hospital, County Durham
• Longley Centre, Sheffield
• Miranda House, Hull
• North East Lincolnshire
• Roseberry Park (formerly St Luke’s Hospital), Middlesbrough
• St James’s University Hospital, Leeds
• St Nicholas Hospital, Gosforth
• Sunderland
• Wakefield

Community Based Mental Health Centre

• County Durham (2 sites)
• Darlington
• Hartlepool
• Hull
• Middlesbrough
• Newcastle
• North Cumbria
• North Yorkshire (4 sites)
• Redcar & Cleveland
• Sheffield
• Sunderland

Final locations are subject to designs, procurement, and business case approvals.

Gleadless and Heeley Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre is one of six sites which offers community-based mental health care. The centre provides a safe, welcoming environment where people can access support before reaching crisis point, helping to reduce the need for inpatient admissions. Open to anyone living in the Gleadless and Heeley area of Sheffield, it offers safe-space hospitality beds as an alternative to hospital-based care, alongside a 24/7 service providing integrated, person-centred support for adults aged 18 and over with serious mental illness. The centre is a partnership between Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust, Heeley Plus Primary Care Network, Heeley Trust, Rethink Mental Illness, Synergy VCSE Mental Health Alliance, Sheffield Flourish and Sheffield City Council. Based in Gleadless Valley, the centre supports the ambitions of the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for England.

For more examples of how primary care clinicians are supporting patients with their mental health in the North East and Yorkshire, including three 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres, listen to a Mental Health Awareness Week podcast episode.