We live in a 24/7 world. However, having a mental health crisis outside of the usual 9-5 working hours can create a major challenge.
For years, the support for those who do need it hasn’t been readily available out of hours.
Recently, a major national review by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) revealed that support between 11pm and 5am was not up to scratch. And yet often that’s exactly the time when people need it most.
One major study of almost 50,000 adults showed that people’s mood often nosedives around midnight. Distractions fade and loneliness creeps in. For many, this is the time when anxious thoughts feel loudest, and coping strategies that might work in daylight hours suddenly feel out of reach.
Without somewhere safe to turn, people are often left battling those hours alone. That’s why the decision to open the first 24/7 NHS neighbourhood mental health centre is a genuine game changer.
The Barnsley Street centre in Bethnal Green is the first of six new hubs set to provide integrated mental health, housing, and employment support under one roof, with no referral needed.
The East London site is the first of six walk-in sites due to open across England before the end of 2025. It’s a huge step in the right direction.
Traditionally, if someone fell into crisis overnight, there were only two places to go:
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