Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of progress towards ensuring that all areas have a commissioned 24/7 community mental health crisis service; and what steps he is taking to support areas that have not yet been able to implement such provision.

While no such specific assessment has been made, integrated care boards, supported by regions, should maintain full 24/7 community mental health crisis coverage.

To strengthen access to urgent mental health support, anyone in England experiencing a mental health crisis can now to speak to a trained National Health Service professional at any time of the day through a mental health option on NHS 111. This integrated service can give patients of all ages, including children, the chance to be listened to by a trained member of staff who can help direct them to the right place.

There are currently six funded sites piloting the 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centre model, as well as 16 'associate sites' that are already proactively testing the model. These centres bring together a range of community mental health services under one roof, including crisis services and short-stay beds. The Government will make available capital funding of £473 million over four years to invest in new models, including 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres, building on findings from the six pilots, and other capital projects such as Mental Health Emergency Departments and eliminating out-of-area placements.