The Government has announced plans to open 159 new NHS mental health facilities across England, backed by £343 million of funding.
The plans include 100 community mental health centres, where people will be able to seek support without a referral, and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments for people experiencing a mental health crisis.
The first facilities are expected to open from autumn 2026, with further sites following from March 2027.
Responding to the announcement, Debbie Laycock, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Campaigns at Samaritans said:
“We hope today’s news is a sign that suicide prevention is a priority for the new Prime Minister and Health Secretary. For too long, people in crisis have been given poor options for support and often charities like ours pick up the slack. So this is a great step up from the Department of Health and Social Care that will help people before they reach crisis point and ensure they get better support if they are in distress. Samaritans currently answers a call for help every 10 seconds so the need for support is urgent, therefore we want these facilities open as soon as possible.”