£400m to remove dormitories from mental health facilities

More than £400 million will be committed over the next four years to eradicate dormitory accommodation from mental health facilities across the country.

Announced on World Mental Health Day, the pledge builds on the £250 million funding announced in July to remove the outdated dormitories, as part of the government’s record investment in NHS infrastructure. All of this is being with the intention of improving the safety, privacy and dignity of patients suffering with mental illness.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock has also announced the first 21 NHS trusts that will receive funding to replace out-of-date mental health dormitories with single en suite rooms, to help improve care for mental health inpatients across the country.

He said: “Mental health staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep mental health services open 24/7 so those most in need can continue to get vital support.

“Today I am reiterating our commitment to those patients by stepping up our effort to improve our country’s mental health infrastructure. By eradicating outdated and unsuitable dormitories across England we can ensure those suffering with mental illness are given the safety, privacy and dignity they deserve. Not only will the new single rooms improve the individual care we can offer patients, they will provide a better environment for our hardworking staff too.”

Sean Duggan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, said: “This investment is a long overdue sign of the government’s commitment to improving mental healthcare services but if it really wants to prove this to patients and frontline staff, it will need to dig much deeper.

“Eradicating mental health dormitories has been a long-held national ambition and it will require sustained investment on top of what has been announced today to design further alternative inpatient facilities, as well as to support more services in the community.

“As the pandemic continues to take its hold on the nation’s mental wellbeing, an additional 500,000 people are estimated to require support for their mental health in the next two years. Providers will have to respond to this rising tide in demand while facing a 10-30 per cent reduction in how many patients they can care for due to the necessary infection control measures and with at least 27,000 vacancies.

“World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to celebrate the phenomenal work of our mental healthcare workforce for everything they do. This money is a good down payment to start to bring mental healthcare estates into the 21st Century but it needs to be part of a significant, long-term capital funding settlement to ensure all services can provide therapeutic and recovery-focused care.”