On 27th August 2024, The NHS announced a groundbreaking development in mental health care: individuals experiencing a mental health crisis can now access comprehensive support through the NHS 111 service. This initiative positions England as one of the first countries globally to provide a full package of 24/7 crisis support via a single phone line.
Sheffield NHS Trust was among the trusts involved in earlier trials of the service, contributing valuable insights that informed the national implementation. This integration simplifies access to mental health care, offering support to individuals experiencing severe mood changes, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. The service is inclusive, catering to people of all ages and providing tailored options for individuals with disabilities.
One Simple Number for Mental Health Support
For the first time, people of all ages—including children—and their loved ones can call 111, select the mental health option, and be connected to a trained mental health professional. These professionals can provide immediate support, guidance, and next steps, including arranging face-to-face community care or connecting callers with alternative services like crisis cafés or safe havens. These services are designed to offer a safe space as an alternative to hospital admission or A&E.
Enhancing Crisis Care
This new national system builds on local crisis lines, which were fast-tracked during the pandemic and previously handled around 200,000 calls per month. Now, anyone across England can access a single, streamlined service to reduce confusion during a time of crisis.
For those requiring emergency care due to life-threatening mental health concerns, every A&E department in England now has a liaison psychiatric team available to provide specialist care.
Broader Support for Mental Health
The NHS 111 service complements existing resources like NHS Talking Therapies, which support conditions such as anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD. These services are accessible through GP referrals or self-referral via the NHS website.
For immediate life-threatening situations, the NHS continues to advise calling 999.
A Transformative Step for Mental Health Access
NHS National Director for Mental Health, Claire Murdoch, said: “We know that record numbers of people are suffering with their mental health, and we want to ensure that when people are in crisis, they have easy, straightforward access to the support they need.
While the NHS made significant progress during the pandemic with local services creating their own crisis phone lines, we want to go a step further by giving people everywhere in England one single point of access via NHS 111.
And in doing so, I am extremely proud that we will become one of the first countries in the world to offer a free universal package of support to people through one easy to access phone line.
The new integrated service can give people of all ages specialist mental health support and ensure they can be offered face-to-face support in a safe and therapeutic environment.
So, if you or someone you know needs urgent mental health support, please call 111, and select the mental health option.”
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, said: “As part of our plans to help fix the broken health system we want to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health.
For the first time, there is one number you can call whether you are feeling physically unwell or worried about your mental health to access the support you might need.
Separately, we are prioritising mental health by recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment alongside reforming the Mental Health Act.”
Rethink Mental Illness Chief Executive, Mark Winstanley, said: “A mental health crisis is traumatic and disorientating, and getting help as quickly as possible is vital. The last thing people need when they or a loved one is in crisis, is uncertainty about where to turn.
Today, the NHS have made it easier to access urgent support via 111, building on provision already in place through crisis lines. We welcome this important step and hope it will make it simpler for people to access the help they need.”
Tailored Support for Everyone
The service is inclusive, offering tailored options for deaf individuals via the NHS 111 website. Charities like Samaritans and Shout also provide free listening services for those needing someone to talk to.
A Continued Investment in Mental Health
With an additional £2.3 billion invested in expanding mental health services, the NHS is taking significant steps to meet the growing demand for mental health care. This includes expanding community mental health treatment to support an additional 370,000 people annually.
For more information and support options, visit the NHS mental health services page.
