Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has for new specialist mental health crisis centres in Surrey.

Individuals experiencing a mental health crisis in Surrey can access support 24/7 through the Mental Health Crisis Helpline, operated by the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The service is staffed by trained professionals who provide immediate advice, support, and signposting to a range of community services.

There are five Safe Havens across Surrey that provide out-of-hours help and support to individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress. Each Safe Haven is staffed by a mental health practitioner from the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and two trained Safe Haven workers. Peer support from people with lived experience of mental health issues is also increasingly available.

At a national level, substantial progress has been achieved in building more robust crisis care pathways across all ages and in all regions, ensuring that people in a mental health crisis can receive the right care.

As part of this, the Government has committed £26 million in capital investment to support people in a mental health crisis, including opening new mental health crisis centres across England, which aim to provide accessible and responsive care for individuals in a mental health crisis. In addition, we are piloting six 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres which provide support to individuals with severe mental illness, without needing to book an appointment.

People of all ages in England experiencing a mental health crisis can speak to a trained NHS professional at any time of the day via the NHS 111 service. This service gives people the chance to be listened to by a trained member of staff who can help direct them to the right place.