England Plans Mental Health Centres in Banks and Libraries
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- The Department of Health unveiled a network of nearly 200 community mental health centres and mental health A&Es across England by 2029, with many hubs set up in high street locations like banks and libraries.
- The plan includes 100 new community mental health centres and 59 additional dedicated mental health A&Es on top of the 23 already operational, backed by £343m in government funding.
- The first sites will open in autumn 2025, with further facilities following from March 2027, with many hubs expected to operate seven days a week and some offering short-stay bed facilities.
- Six areas have piloted the approach since 2024, bringing together existing teams of nurses, therapists, and support workers under one roof.
- Andy Bell, chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, welcomed the move but warned the mental health emergency departments have not been properly tested and that children and young people need their own dedicated hubs.
- Stephen Jones of the Royal College of Nursing said the centres would need investment in specialist mental health nurses to cope with demand, calling staff "at the centre" of whether the plan succeeds.
Why it matters: The plan targets one in five people who struggle with mental health and the thousands who currently turn up at general A&E in crisis because they cannot find help elsewhere. With six areas already piloting the model since 2024, the £343m programme's success depends heavily on workforce investment — both the Centre for Mental Health and the Royal College of Nursing flagged staffing as the make-or-break factor.
