Mental health crisis teams helps reduce ambulance demand in Northants
24-hour services provide timely support to reduce A&E visits for mental health
Last updated 23rd Mar 2026
In Northamptonshire, mental health support initiatives are easing the pressure on ambulance services by offering timely intervention for individuals experiencing crises.
Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's (NHFT) Crisis Response Unit and crisis cafes work collaboratively with mental health professionals to swiftly assist those in need, reducing unnecessary visits to accident and emergency departments.
Christine Edwards, service manager for the crisis pathway at (NHFT), explained the rationale behind these efforts: "The crisis cafes were set up to reduce the number of attendances to A&E due to mental health needs, ensuring assessments are conducted in more comfortable environments."
Latest figures from NHFT state that the crisis café had a total of 950 face‑to‑face contacts in January and February, with 476 in January and 474 in February.
The crisis cafés are increasingly dealing with the wider pressures people are facing, not just mental health emergencies. “We've got specialists coming into our cafés offering a drop‑in around housing issues, benefits and debts, and they are often very busy – they often have a line of people waiting to see them,” Gardner said.
''We're definitely seeing an increase of cost‑of‑living, economic issues happening within our crisis cafés.''
The crisis cafes, accessible daily in locations such as Corby and Kettering, enable individuals to receive face-to-face support without the need for prior appointments.
These venues are managed to build community networks that provide safety and encourage earlier access to services. Jodie Gardner of Northamptonshire Mind said, "Bringing cafes into communities creates a relaxed atmosphere that encourages people to seek help before reaching crisis point."
The Crisis Response Unit is a small team that responds to mental health emergencies within an hour. They take referrals from East Midlands Ambulance Service when there is no physical health need and also support people who contact the county’s mental health phone line, offering help to both service users and carers. They also run a 24‑hour phone line and a text service for people who prefer not to call.
Christine Edwards from the Mental Health Hub said accessibility is essential: “So what we realised is that not everybody feels able to use the telephone and there are people that will be anxious and unable to pick up the phone and call us.
In January, the Mental Health phoneline received 8,744 calls, followed by 7,600 in February.
''Our text line is 24 hours, seven days a week and people can text in and will get support for their mental health as they would do if they called in.''
Jade Adam, mental health nurse and operational lead for the Crisis Response Unit, highlighted the partnership with East Midlands Ambulance Service: "We aim to respond to mental health crises within an hour to avoid A&E conveyance, addressing emergencies in community settings and allowing paramedics to focus on physical health needs."
She added, ''What we would say is don't wait until you get to that crisis moment. A lot of what we do is about preventing the crisis.”
For further details on accessing services, visit Northamptonshire Healthcare's website. For support, call the NHFT's 24‑hour crisis support on 0800 448 0828 or text 07480635531