Mental health emergency department to open in Sussex

The first mental health emergency department in Sussex is expected to open its doors to patients next summer.

Based on the existing walk-in Staying Well service in Brighton, Crawley, Eastbourne, Hastings and Worthing, it will provide 24/7 support for people experiencing a mental health crisis, offering an alternative to A&E.

Co-delivered by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Southdown, a not-for-profit support and housing provider, the new service will be located at Eastbourne District General Hospital, part of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

Dr Oliver Dale, chief medical officer for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This is a much-needed service to meet the increasing mental health need in our communities."

Between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026, there were more than 8,000 attendances at the Staying Well services by people who needed help with their mental health.

Subject to funding approval from NHS England, work is expected to begin later this year, with an estimated opening date of late summer 2027.

The existing mental health services at the Department of Psychiatry will move to the new Combe Valley Hospital in Bexhill-on-Sea.

Last year, NHS England announced plans to establish mental health emergency departments across the country to help relieve the pressure on the acute hospitals.

In addition to Eastbourne, other locations in Sussex will include Brighton, at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, and either Chichester or Worthing in West Sussex on the site of one of the acute hospitals.

Dr Dale said: "If someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, a busy, noisy A&E department can exacerbate feelings of agitation and distress.

"The new facility in Eastbourne will offer a calmer, more therapeutic environment where people can access specialist help from mental health professionals, without long waiting times."

NHS England has also approved the development of three community mental health centres in Sussex, which are planned for 2028.

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