Construction work has begun on a £4.8 million mental health Crisis Assessment Centre at St George’s Hospital in Stafford.

The facility is set to operate 24/7 and will offer immediate assessment and support to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.

Set to open in October, the centre will serve as an alternative to emergency departments for people facing urgent but non-life-threatening mental health needs.

Neil Carr, chief executive of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), which runs St George’s said: “I’m delighted that construction work has begun on the Trust’s new Crisis Assessment Centre, which will greatly enhance the urgent and emergency mental health care and support we are able to offer locally to individuals in serious mental health need.”

“The centre will comprise two crisis assessment rooms, alongside a new health-based Place of Safety, also known as a 136 Suite, that provides a safe and comfortable environment where a person can be assessed to see how they can best be supported.”

Jennie Collier, managing director of MPFT’s Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Care Group added: “The facility will provide service users with immediate access to mental health professionals in times of crisis, preventing unnecessary emergency department visits and ensuring timely interventions. Early identification and access to appropriate support can prevent the potential for a crisis to escalate and promote long-term recovery.

“The new 136 Suite will be able to accommodate a child or young person and adult admission at the same time, should this be required; a situation that is not possible within the current suite due to its layout.”