Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust has launched a new Mental Health Urgent Assessment Centre in Blackpool.

Launched in collaboration with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, the MHUAC officially opened on 10 May and is located next to the A&E department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where work is underway to create an Emergency Village, enhancing and expanding emergency care.

It has been established as a safe and calm assessment space for service users who are experiencing urgent mental health needs and have no coronavirus symptoms or physical injuries.

The centre has three purpose-built assessment rooms for service users and their carers. With access to highly trained mental health nurses, consultant psychiatrists, support workers, and trainee nursing associates, service users will be assessed, supported and treated as required.

Caroline Donovan, chief executive of Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We really want to make sure that people who are in crisis with their mental health are able to get the help they need immediately. We have been working closely with colleagues at Blackpool Victoria Hospital to develop an improved environment for service users and provide a safe space for them to access support.”

The MHUAC at Blackpool, is one of several mental health urgent assessment centres being created across Lancashire and South Cumbria. It complements the unit in operation at the Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, which will shortly be joined by another unit at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary. There are already colocation of mental health services providing a dedicated facility in the Furness General Hospital in South Cumbria.