Crisis Café Mental Health Support – East Locality

Descriptions

The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) championed the development of crisis cafes to offer an alternative approach in relation to supporting a self-defined mental health crisis that is not necessarily clinically assessed or defined. Through the provision of additional funding through the Long-Term Plan and capital investment available through 'Beyond Places of Safety' initiative the Trust alongside partners were able to develop Crisis cafes across the CWP footprint.

The East Crisis Cafes are established within the East locality. They are a familiar resource for communities to access and are meeting the requirements of the contract in terms of agreed performance within the financial envelope.

The service is open 7 days a week from 1pm to 10pm and provides a safe, welcoming and comfortable space away from a clinical environment for people in crisis, and those seeking to prevent the onset of a crisis. The team provide emotional support, practical advice, devise safety plans and offer signposting to patients.

The cafe is viewed by professionals and public as a core part of the health and care service offer. A break in this service offer would be detrimental to the hundreds of patients who use this service every month. It is recommended this contract is extended until the competitive process is actioned by the end of this year. In parallel a competitive procurement exercise will begin.

The cafe emphasises a person-centred approach, so care is tailored to the individual's specific needs and preferences. This approach ensures that the service provided is of high quality, and responsive to the person's unique circumstances. The Cafe offers a holistic model of care that addresses not just the immediate mental health crisis, but also other factors that may be contributing to the individual's distress, such as housing instability, financial stress, or relationship issues. By offering integrated support, the service goes beyond traditional mental health services, providing a more comprehensive and innovative approach to care.

The cafe offers value to both individuals in crisis and the broader mental health care system. The service enhances core mental health services, promote community well being and help to alleviate pressure on overburdened healthcare systems. The provider has supported xx number of clients over the last financial year and has received many compliments from service users and other health professionals. Examples of value that the service offers includes:

- Improving access to timely support (no waiting lists to access, providing a safe space.

- Cost effectiveness: saves costs by reducing admissions, more cost-effective model vs traditional hospital based care pathways

- Supports the prevention agenda

Integration, collaboration and service sustainability: The Café promotes collaboration between different services, such as healthcare providers, local authorities, other community organisations, and emergency services. This is essential for a coordinated, effective response to mental health crises. The provider has been effective at developing these cross-partnership relationships to enable to the service to become an integrated offer as part of the CWP first response services.

Improving access, reducing health inequalities and facilitating choice:

The Crisis Cafe offers extended hours (up to 10pm) including weekends, when traditional 'in person' mental health services are often closed. This increases accessibility during times of day when people may feel most vulnerable. The service provides a genuine alternative to emergency departments (EDs), thus reducing the pressure on hospitals and emergency services, but enabling some of our most vulnerable people to be supported.

The cafe is informal, welcoming, and non-clinical which helps to reduce the stigma often associated with seeking mental health support. This is appealing to people who feel uncomfortable or intimidated by traditional mental health settings. The café provides person-centered care, focusing on the individual's needs and preferences. Trained staff work with clients to identify their immediate needs, whether that's someone to talk to, support with practical needs, or signposting to other services. The timely support can prevent crises from escalating and reduce the need for more intensive interventions like hospital admissions or psychiatric evaluations. Over time, this can lead to improved mental health outcomes for individuals.

Unlike traditional, formal mental health services, crisis cafes provide a non-clinical, informal environment where individuals are not pressured into a structured treatment plan. People can choose how they wish to engage with the service, what they engage with e.g. peer support/mindfulness thus facilitating choice.

Staff who deliver this service - live and work locally within the region. The service encourages people to get involved and share their experience to help others through a model of volunteers and peer support.

There is not a high turnover of staff.

01/04/25 to 30/09/25 £144,144