Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mandatory training requirements apply to emergency department staff in England on the care of patients presenting in mental health crisis.

Employers are responsible for ensuring that staff are appropriately trained to provide safe care.

Healthcare professionals are expected to be aware of and follow relevant National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on mental health, self-harm, and suicide prevention.

In addition, the Staying Safe from Suicide Guidance, published in April 2025, sets out the latest evidence on the assessment, formulation, and management of suicide risk. Mental health practitioners are expected to align their practice with this guidance, and an accompanying e-learning package is available to National Health Service and non-NHS staff. The NHS Medium Term Planning Framework requires integrated care boards to ensure that mental health practitioners undertake this training and deliver care in line with the guidance.