The government has announced plans to create a network of nearly 200 walk-in mental health centres across England by 2029, aiming to provide immediate specialist care for people in crisis or significant distress.
The programme includes 100 new community mental health centres in high-street locations such as libraries and banks, as well as some new buildings, and 59 dedicated mental health accident and emergency departments, adding to 23 already operational.
Many of the community hubs are expected to operate seven days a week, with some offering short-stay beds, and will bring together existing teams of nurses, therapists and support workers.
Six areas have piloted the approach since 2024, and the first new sites are scheduled to open this autumn, with further facilities following from March 2027.
The initiative is backed by £343 million in funding, according to the Department of Health.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the centres would be a lifeline, bringing NHS services closer to home and reducing reliance on busy general A&E departments.
Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, welcomed the announcement but cautioned that the mental health A&E model had not been fully tested and that children and young people need dedicated hubs.
Stephen Jones of the Royal College of Nursing agreed that specialist mental health nurses would be crucial to meet demand and make the services work.
Walk-in mental health centres to open in banks and libraries across England
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