NHS unveils new mental health A&Es and drop-in clinics in banks and libraries in 'biggest redesign in a generation'

By SHAUN WOOLLER, EXECUTIVE HEALTH EDITOR Published: 22:30, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 22:30, 5 August 2026 The NHS will open 100 high street mental health centres in the likes of libraries and banks under radical plans to improve access to care. Dozens of hospitals will also open dedicated mental health emergency departments, so people in crisis do not face long waits in regular A&Es. The Department of Health and Social Care described the changes as the 'biggest redesign of mental health services in a generation'. And Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the new centres will be a 'lifeline' for the thousands of people who are waiting months for help. The community mental health centres will offer walk-in support without the need for a referral and are designed to catch problems early, so fewer people reach crisis point in the first place. Some of the hubs will be new facilities while others will be in libraries, banks and other high street locations, officials said. Meanwhile, 59 new mental health emergency departments will offer same-day support for people experiencing a crisis who are physically fit and do not need treatment in A&E. These specialist facilities will be located within hospitals and will provide a 'calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly'. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the new centres will be a 'lifeline' for the thousands of people who are waiting months for help. The rollout will bring the number of dedicated mental health emergency departments in England to 82. Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around one in five people experiencing a common mental health condition each year. The Department of Health and Social Care said people 'too often' only receive support once they reach crisis point, 'leaving families without the help they need and placing greater pressure on NHS services'. Mental health patients have faced waits of up to 12 days in regular A&Es, due a shortage of specialist beds and staff. Mr Burnham said: 'Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. 'But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E. 'These new centres will be a lifeline for so many. 'They will bring NHS services closer to home, making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point. 'On the steps of Downing Street, I said we would build a country that acts sooner when people need help. Today is just the start of making that a reality.' The Department of Health and Social Care said the initiative is backed by £343 million and the first sites will open in autumn this year, with 'further facilities following from March 2027'. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Too many people are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need. 'These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. 'And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting. 'This is how we can turn the tide on mental ill health – preventing more people from reaching crisis, cutting waits for care, and building an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it.' The announcement forms part of the forthcoming Mental Health Strategy, which is expected to be published later this year. The strategy will be informed by the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, which is expected in the autumn. According to NHS figures, 2.36 million people in England had an open referral with mental health services at the end of May 2026, up from 2.10 million a year earlier and 1.95 million in May 2024. Brian Dow, deputy chief executive at the charity Rethink Mental Illness, said: 'The expansion of neighbourhood mental health centres is a vital step towards making this a reality, building on the promising results of existing pilot sites. 'By bringing together treatment and wider support services under one roof, these centres can transform experiences of care, helping people to access support earlier and preventing them from reaching crisis point.' Tom Pollard from the charity Mind added: 'This is a promising step towards more people getting the mental health support they need, when they need it. 'Too often, we hear from people struggling to access overstretched services whose mental health worsens because of this.'