The NHS 111 number in England will offer a mental health support service for those in crisis for the first time.

The number connects to a local team of call handlers with mental health training, alongside nurses and clinicians who are available around the clock.

The team can organise a mental health assessment, send out a crisis team and flag up help available in the local area.

Local health systems previously had their own separate phone lines, which took about 200,000 calls per month.

It makes the NHS in England one of the first countries to offer such a support service for mental health issues, as well as for physical problems, BBC News reports.

Mental health support service part of plans to fix 'broken health system'

The new integrated service can give patients of all ages, including children, the chance to be listened to by a trained member of staff who can help direct them to the right place, says NHS director for mental health Claire Murdoch.

It comes as demand for help with conditions such as depression and anxiety has been growing since the Covid pandemic.

Latest NHS figures show mental health services have treated an extra one million people a year compared with six years ago.

Mark Winstanley, chief executive of Rethink Mental Illness, welcomed the move saying: “A mental health crisis is traumatic and disorientating, and getting help as quickly as possible is vital. The last thing people need when they or a loved one is in crisis, is uncertainty about where to turn.

“Today, the NHS have made it easier to access urgent support via 111, building on provision already in place through crisis lines. We welcome this important step, and hope it will make it simpler for people to access the help they need.”

Stephen Kinnock, minister of state for care, added: “As part of our plans to help fix the broken health system we want to ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health.

“For the first time, there is one number you can call whether you are feeling physically unwell or worried about your mental health to access the support you might need.”

However, Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, raised concerns about the pressures on services.

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She explained: “With record numbers of people experiencing mental ill health, any measures which help people access the care they need quickly and easily are to be welcomed.

“This announcement builds on much needed investment in mental health crisis and liaison services in recent years, and efforts by trusts to create alternatives to emergency departments for people experiencing a crisis.

“However, trusts remain deeply concerned about levels of unmet need for those seeking mental health care with the latest national data showing over 350,000 children and young people and almost 250,000 adults are waiting for treatment from community mental health services."