Suffolk Mind welcomes 'incredibly important' £150m mental health services funding

Suffolk Mind has welcomed news that mental health services will be boosted by £150 million of government funding.

The investment lasting until April 2025 will better support people experiencing – or at risk of experiencing – mental health crises, to receive care and support in more appropriate settings outside of A&E.

According to the government, 150 new facilities will be built to support mental health urgent and emergency care services.

Jon Neal, CEO of Suffolk Mind, said: “The extra funding for mental health services announced by the government is welcome news, and we hope it will help alleviate pressures facing the NHS.

“It’s incredibly important people experiencing, or at risk of experiencing mental health crises, receive the support they need immediately. However, the government must also recognise funding services to prevent poor wellbeing is

just as important for supporting the public and the NHS.

“As well as supporting people facing mental health challenges, Suffolk Mind offers training to equip people with the tools they need to recognise and support the mental health of themselves and those around them.

“We have also launched our training programme for employers, The Mental Health Toolkit, to help businesses and organisations better support their team.”

Anyone experiencing a mental health emergency will benefit from more tailored emergency care and support in the community through specialised mental health ambulances, more crisis services and improved health-based places of safety says the government.

The funding will allow for the procurement of up to 100 new mental health ambulances, which will take specialist staff directly to patients to deliver support on scene or transfer them to the most appropriate place for care.

It will also fund 150 new projects centred on supporting the provision of mental health crisis response and urgent mental health care. The new projects include over 30 schemes providing crisis cafes, crisis houses and other similar safe spaces, as well as over 20 new or improved health-based places of safety which provide a safe space for people detained by the police.

Improvements to NHS 111 and crisis phone lines will also be rolled out.