Myself and Sarah Owen, MP for Luton North, are very glad to welcome today the announcement of new mental health facilities for Luton, part of the Labour Government’s nationwide redesign of adult mental health services.
Part of a wave of 159 new facilities opening in England, a new mental health community centre will mean people struggling in Luton can get help earlier and closer to home – offering support without a referral and without a months-long wait. It will bring mental health and specialist teams together under one roof, working alongside GPs, councils, the voluntary sector and families, with direct links into housing and employment support.
Luton is also set to benefit from a new, dedicated mental health emergency department, giving people in crisis specialist care in a place designed for them.
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. Too often, people only receive support once they reach crisis point, leaving families without the help they need and placing greater pressure on NHS services.
New funding and facilities announced today will support the Labour Government’s mission to shift care from crisis to prevention, helping people get support earlier and closer to home. It forms part of the forthcoming Mental Health Strategy, which will look beyond the NHS to the role of schools, employers, local government and the voluntary sector in supporting good mental health.