Mental health A&Es: what the new £343m investment means for Northumberland
People with mental health issues in Northumberland still face being a long journey for help despite a £343m investment in new support services.
Northumberland is not getting one of 59 new mental health A&Es emergency departments and 100 community mental health centres in England, which have been announced by the Government.
These departments aim to provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis.
In the North East, the units will be in Gosforth, Newcastle, County Durham, Darlington and Sunderland, meaning someone living in Northumberland would have to travel as far as Gosforth to access the service.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "Nobody should be left to struggle with their mental health alone. But every day, thousands of people are waiting months for help, then finding the only door open to them is a busy A&E department.
“These new centres will be a lifeline for so many, bring NHS services closer to home - making it easier to get support before problems get worse, and ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place.”
Berwick man Gareth Clark has organised several charity events in memory of local men who lost their lives to mental health challenges and helped to raise vital funds for causes such as Andy’s Mans Club, Samaritans Berwick and Tyneside and Northumberland Mind.
He said the £343m investment something that should be “welcomed” but has concerns about the distance people in North Northumberland will have to travel to get help from the new service.
He said: “We're used to having to travel for certain services because of where we are, but when you're talking about mental health, particularly someone who is at crisis point, travelling a significant distance isn't always that simple.
“We already have people and organisations doing fantastic work on the ground in Berwick.
"I'd like to see investment like this strengthen what's already here to support people.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Yvette Cooper, said: “These new community mental health centres will help people get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate.
"And when someone does need urgent help, new mental health emergency departments will be able to make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.”