Health services will not get any new funding when they take over responsibility for mental health emergencies from police as soon as next month, NHS England has confirmed to openDemocracy.
The government announced on Wednesday that police forces across England would no longer attend emergencies related to mental health unless there was a risk to life, or a crime being committed.
It claimed it would provide £150m over four years to build new and improved mental health urgent and emergency care services – but this appears to be a reference to funding announced in 2021, which did not include any money for new staff. The government also touted a separate annual figure of £1bn to support community mental health services for people with serious mental illness, but this was announced in 2019, long before the decision was taken to withdraw police support.
