EEAST helps over 80% of mental health crisis patients avoid hospital
Dedicated response vehicles focus on community-based mental health support
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) is marking Mental Health Awareness Week by highlighting their success in providing community-based support for mental health crisis patients.
More than 80% of patients experiencing a mental health crisis across the east of England receive care without the need for hospital admission, thanks to EEAST's dedicated mental health response.
EEAST operates Mental Health Response Vehicles (MHRVs) staffed by both ambulance and mental health clinicians, ensuring appropriate care is dispatched to 999 calls.
In Bedfordshire, the service also includes a mental health street triage alongside local police and mental health professionals.
Between 1st January and 30th April 2026, MHRVs attended 3,315 mental health emergencies, providing face-to-face support to over 2,040 individuals, alongside conveying direct telephone advice and guidance to both the public and emergency personnel.
Liz Ip Piang Siong, Head of Mental Health at EEAST, commented on the importance of community-based care: “Going to hospital can be stressful for anyone, but people experiencing a mental health crisis can find it particularly distressing. By working closely with healthcare professionals in the community, we provide care outside a hospital setting for the vast majority of patients."
EEAST's approach has resulted in only 17% of patients being taken to hospital for urgent mental health needs or physical health reasons that could not be handled within the community.
The regional breakdown highlights the effectiveness of EEAST's initiatives across areas including Mid and South Essex, Suffolk and North Essex, Norfolk and Waveney, Hertfordshire and West Essex, Cambridge and Peterborough, and Bedford and Luton.
Throughout these regions, reliance on hospital conveyance has been minimised, facilitating early intervention and improving patient outcomes.
EEAST's efforts align with the NHS's 10-year plan for mental health, focusing on early intervention and preventing deterioration in crisis situations to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.