York’s Mental Health Partnership (YMHP) has secured over £2.4 million over two years to enhance mental health support available to York residents.

YMHP and the Connecting our City project will use this funding to develop a new 24/7 community mental health hub in the west of the city.

This hub will be open 24/7 to local adults needing mental health support, with no need for a referral.

During the hub’s core daytime hours, it will be run by a multi-disciplinary team of statutory NHS and voluntary sector staff, including clinicians, social workers, social prescribers and peer support workers. They will offer access to mental health support in the local community in a "calm and comfortable" environment.

The Connecting our City project has been developing a community-based mental health hub model over the last two years, with a hub also under development to support residents in the north of the city.

Councillor Lucy Steels-Walshaw, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult social care at City of York Council, said this is an "exciting opportunity" to make a difference to people's lives in York.

She added: “The Connecting our City partnership has successfully co-developed York’s first hub by uniting people across health, social care, the voluntary sector and people with lived experience of mental health problems and their carers.

“Their work, passion and dedication is reflected in the support delivered, and this new funding recognises how effective it is, and the need to deliver more to our residents. We can now take the next step of achieving the vision of 24/7 provision."

The exact location for the hub will be confirmed soon.