Mental health response vehicle marks two years of life-changing support in Essex

A pioneering initiative that has provided urgent mental health support to almost 2,000 people in crisis has celebrated two years of transformative service across mid and south Essex.

The mental health response vehicle is a collaborative effort between the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).

Commissioned by NHS Mid and South Essex, the service delivers compassionate, face-to-face mental health care to patients and expert telephone advice to ambulance crews across the region.

Over the past two years, the vehicle has become a vital part of the local urgent and emergency care system – improving patient outcomes, reducing pressure on emergency departments, and ensuring people in crisis receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Emergency departments are often not the most appropriate setting for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. The mental health response vehicle addresses this by offering on-scene support and alternative care pathways.

Over 82% of patients supported by the service have been helped without having to be taken to A&E. It runs seven days a week between 1pm and 1am.

In the two years the service has been running, it has:

• responded to 1,971 patients in person
• provided remote support to 1,476 ambulance crews
• freed up 495 double-crewed ambulances during an eight-month period – allowing those resources to be redirected to physical health emergencies

Patients are either discharged on scene with appropriate follow-up or referred to services such as the Mental Health Urgent Care Department at Basildon University Hospital, run by EPUT.

Claire Fuller, Mental Health Advanced Practitioner at EEAST, said:

“The mental health response vehicle in mid and south Essex has had a transformative impact on how we support people in crisis.

“This partnership model is now embedded in our local urgent and emergency care system and brings multiple benefits – not just for patients, but for the wider NHS.

“Patients receive specialist, compassionate care tailored to their needs, and ambulance crews have access to a trusted, responsive mental health resource.”

Tendai Ruwona, Associate Director for Urgent Care and Inpatient Services EPUT, said:

“It is vital that people in crisis receive the right help at the right time. The mental health response vehicle enables patients to get the best support to meet their needs, quickly and in the right environment and I’m delighted this partnership initiative is making a positive difference to so many in our community.”

Alfred Bandakpara-Taylor, Deputy Director for Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, and Specialist Commissioning at NHS Mid and South Essex said:

“The joint mental health response vehicle is a great example of NHS partners working together to deliver joined up care that supports people in mental health crisis.

“We are pleased to see how this innovative programme is helping people receive the care they need in a supportive and appropriate way while also providing specialist mental health support to our local ambulance teams.”

The success of the mental health response vehicle highlights the power of integrated care and innovation in improving mental health outcomes and reducing strain on frontline services.