MENTAL health services will be given a £3.3 million boost in Cumbria.

Funding has been approved from Home Office Innovation Fund which will see the county trialing a pilot scheme to support people in mental health crisis.

The multi-agency bid - submitted by organisations including Cumbria Police, Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust  (CPFT), North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and Cumbria County Council - will see separate accident and emergency facilities developed at Carlisle's Cumberland Infirmary.

The mental health crisis assessment centre will provide support to people in crisis.

Janice Horrocks, deputy director of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities at the NHS Cumbria CCG, said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been successful with this bid. “The scheme means that people in mental health crisis who require health care and  intervention will have a fit for purpose assessment and treatment centre. It’s  designed to make it a better experience for service users and provide better support  to other organisations involved."

Police and crime commissioner Richard Rhodes said: “I am absolutely delighted with our successful Home Office bid which will enable the constabulary to direct calls that involve mental health issues to a new, multi-agency hub working on a triage model. 

“We look forward to working with partners in the county to dramatically improve the response to mental health cases within in the community.”

The successful bid is for £1.4m in 2016/2017, and £1.9m in 2017/2018.