From today (Monday 02 July) if you arrive at A&E in Basildon or Southend with urgent mental health needs or are in mental health crisis*, Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s liaison psychiatry service will be there to help you no matter what time of day.
A new one hour response service (RAID Core 24) is now available 24 hours a day 7 days a week for patients experiencing a mental health crisis in A&E and inpatient wards.
RAID Core 24 has been launched in response to the commitment made in NHS England’s ‘Five Year Forward View for Mental Health’ for proper funding for mental health crisis care and its full integration within NHS urgent and emergency care by 2020/21.
“I am delighted to have launched our brand new 24/7 liaison psychiatry service to treat people in mental health crisis.
“It’s a huge step forward in providing equal access to the most effective and safest care and treatment for people suffering mental ill health.” Commented Sally Morris, Chief Executive at EPUT
“We know that mental ill health can affect anyone at any time. This new service will ensure that support is available to people who are presenting at Basildon or Southend hospital in a crisis. Mental health is a key issue for south Essex and improving and enhancing services to better support people is very much one of our key strategic aims.”
Said Jane Itangata – Associate Director of Mental Health Commissioning, mid and south Essex STP.