Mental Health Crisis Service Opens at West Mid
New facility aims to ease pressure on A&E departments
Members of the Lakeside Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service team
December 29, 2025
People experiencing a mental health emergency will now be able to receive specialist care without waiting in A&E, following the launch of a new crisis assessment service at West Middlesex Hospital.
The Lakeside Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service (MHCAS), run by West London NHS Trust, will operate as an alternative “front door” for adults needing urgent mental health support. The service is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is designed to provide rapid assessment and treatment in a calmer, therapeutic environment.
More than £4 million has been invested in the pioneering service, which aims to intervene early when people reach crisis point. The team is made up of specialist mental health professionals, and the Trust expects the service to support thousands of people each year, significantly reducing the number of mental health patients waiting in A&E.
Dr Nick Hipkins, Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead for Lakeside MHCAS, said the approach is “holistic and recovery-focused,” offering timely, compassionate care that helps prevent crises from escalating.
He added that the service will act as a “vital pressure release valve” for busy emergency departments.
Dr Nick Hipkins with staff at the service
Sonya Clinch, Clinical Director for Acute Mental Health Services at West London NHS Trust, said the new facility reflects the Trust’s commitment to delivering high-quality care in the community while easing pressure on frontline services.
She said the development aligns with the NHS 10-Year Plan to improve access to urgent mental health support, adding that alternatives to A&E can reduce admissions, improve patient and carer experience, and relieve strain on the wider emergency care system.
The service is being introduced in two phases. Initially, Lakeside MHCAS can accommodate 4–6 patients at a time, with capacity set to increase to 8–12 patients once expansion work is completed by autumn 2026. Stays will typically last 12 to 24 hours.
The service is available to anyone over 18 who attends A&E in Ealing, Hounslow, or Hammersmith & Fulham for mental health reasons and does not require urgent physical healthcare. Referrals can also be made by Crisis Assessment and Treatment Teams (CATT) or via the Single Point of Access (SPA).
West London NHS Trust is among a small number of trusts in the capital operating a Mental Health Crisis Assessment Service.
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