Helping patients get fast mental health support in Emergency Departments
Our Trust is working to make mental health care in emergency departments more compassionate, purposeful and timely.
As part of that commitment, a new pilot has launched at St George’s Emergency Department (ED) to provide immediate support to people arriving with mental health needs. At the heart of the pilot is a ‘Mental Health Navigator’, based right at the front door of the ED, offering a calm presence, a listening ear, and quicker access to the right care.
The navigators are experienced in crisis support and work closely with the streaming nurse, who screens patients early on to direct them to the most appropriate service. Together, they support people with lower-level mental health needs by identifying each person's needs as early as possible and directing them to the right service. This could include a rapid assessment clinic, their GP, community mental health teams, or voluntary organisations offering help with issues like housing or benefits.
Joan Henshaw, Matron for Urgent Care and Crisis Pathway said:
"Mental health needs the same urgency and attention as physical health, especially in crisis. Having a dedicated mental health triage in ED means we can respond quickly, compassionately, and appropriately right from the front door.
“Through the pilot, we want to make sure that people are signposted to the most appropriate pathway for their needs, so they can access the right care and support from the very beginning. It's vital that people feel supported and not just treated."
Jimmy Cangy, Deputy Head of Service Delivery and Quality, Acute and Urgent Care Service Line, said:
“Someone's very first moments in the ED are critical. We know that waiting in ED is a highly stimulating environment, particularly in times of crisis, and not conducive to someone's recovery."
“Our goal is to ensure people with mental health needs are seen as quickly as possible, and we’re happy to say that we achieved that. As well as getting patients seen quickly, it’s also about giving the right care at the right time, as we know that can completely change someone’s outcome.”
Lived Experience Member M, who has previously attended an ED with mental health concerns, said:
“People going to A&E with worries about their mental health are often at their most vulnerable, and if they are undiagnosed they may not be aware of what's going on and how to describe things. Being able to talk more quickly with somebody who is experienced in mental health crisis support, will help people to feel more connected and understood. It could make all the difference when someone really need it.
Early feedback from staff and patients has been positive. Many patients said they felt genuinely heard and supported, sometimes for the first time in an emergency care setting.
Most importantly, the impact of this new support system has been clear: 50% of all patients who were screened by the Mental Health Navigators were successfully directed to more appropriate care, and 93% did not return to an ED within two weeks. It’s a strong sign that timely, compassionate care can make a real difference and most importantly getting people to the right support they need is vital in their recovery journey.
