Posted on: 29 May 2025
CNWL’s Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS) recently featured on the front page of The Times, as part of a spotlight on new mental health A&Es.
Picture shows the MHCAS team at St Charles Hospital.
MHCAS is one of ten specialist centres across NHS Trusts in England offering urgent support to people in mental health crisis, in a calm and welcoming setting - a therapeutic alternative to visiting busy emergency departments. It’s open 24/7 and allows patients to walk-in, or referrals from GPs or police.
Speaking with the Times, Toti Freysson, Mental Health Nurse and manager for the service, said:
“Anybody who walks in is seen by a mental health specialist within 10 minutes. Most of the people we see have suicidal thoughts. Here, they can come in and sit with their families. We are able to intervene early. It means we can get them home sooner.”
The centre is intended to relieve pressures on emergency services, and reduce lengthy stays on mental health wards too. The team sees around 300 people a month and has been key in eliminating out-of-area placements for patients in North West London.
Claire Murdoch, Chief Executive of CNWL and NHS National Director for Mental Health also spoke about plans for a national rollout of mental health A&Es, which is being considered as part of the NHS 10-Year Plan.
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