Released 22/7/2024 From National Institute for Health and Care Research
Someone experiencing a mental health crisis needs immediate professional advice and assessment. Their mental, physical and/or social problems can be extreme, and they need appropriate care to prevent catastrophic outcomes such as suicide.
“those who do reach crisis state… should receive an appropriate level and intensity of care in a timely manner. Such care should be delivered in ways that are shown to be the most effective, making the best use of available resources and the most up to date evidence.”Getting it Right First Time report: Mental Health – Adult Crisis and Acute Care, 2021
Community services for people in mental health crisis provide an alternative to emergency departments or inpatient psychiatric admission. They include helplines, GPs, ambulance services, crisis resolution and home treatment teams, and day treatment services. They are usually delivered by a variety of agencies, including the NHS, the voluntary sector and local government. But people can find services difficult to navigate, which can delay their access to the right care.
NIHR Evidence held a webinar in May 2024 on care for adults in mental health crisis. The webinar shared research findings on:
- what works in community crisis care
- how acute day units compare to crisis resolution teams
- whether peer-supported self-management can reduce acute readmissions.
This Collection summarises the 3 research projects presented at the webinar. It includes video clips from the speakers and incorporates quotes from the day. The information will be useful for anyone involved in commissioning or delivering mental health crisis services.
Background
Recent years have seen investment in community-based crisis care to better support people experiencing mental health crises. Building on the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, the NHS Long Term Plan aims to expand and improve access to crisis services. Recent service developments include community alternatives to hospital care, mental health ambulances, and changes to the role of police so people in mental health crises are seen by the most appropriate service.
The demand for crisis care is growing, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Crisis resolution and home treatment teams received more than 520,000 referrals between 2018-2019, and an NHS call line dedicated to mental health crises received around 3 million calls between 2020 and 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic). The first presentation explored this complex landscape.
Read the full collection and report here: https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/collection/mental-health-crises-how-to-improve-care/?utm_source=twitter-evidence&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mental-health-crises