The NHS’s 111 service is to begin offering crisis mental health support for the first time ever, it has been announced.
In what is a truly groundbreaking move, making England one of the first countries in the world to offer such a service, the NHS has announced today that 111 will begin offering a full package of mental health crisis support through one single phone line, 24 hours of the day, seven days a week.
Millions of patients nationwide are set to benefit from the change.
Previously, local health systems had their own separate phone lines for mental health crisis support – which were fast-tracked during the COVID pandemic – that took around 200,000 calls per month, but now, people of all ages who are in crisis or concerned family and loved ones, even including children, can call 111 and select the ‘mental health’ option to speak to a trained mental health professional.
Once the call is made, NHS staff can guide callers with a series of next steps – including organising face-to-face community support, or facilitating access to alternatives services like crisis cafés, ‘safe havens’, and more.
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The NHS’s 111 service is to begin offering crisis mental health support for the first time ever / Credit: NHS Digital | rawpixel
For people who need support at A&E – which is generally if there is a risk to life – every emergency department in England will now also have a liaison psychiatric team available to offer specialist care.
The move to extend the support 111 offers comes after the NHS has invested an extra £2.3 billion into expanding its mental health services.
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This latest innovation will help patients in crisis get directed to the support they need quickly.
“We know that record numbers of people are suffering with their mental health,” commented the NHS’s National Director for Mental Health, Claire Murdoch, “and we want to ensure that when people are in crisis, they have easy, straightforward access to the support they need.
“While the NHS made significant progress during the pandemic with local services creating their own crisis phone lines, we want to go a step further by giving people everywhere in England one single point of access via NHS 111, and in doing so, I am extremely proud that we will become one of the first countries in the world to offer a free universal package of support to people through one easy to access phone line.
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For the first time, anyone in a mental health crisis can now call 111 and receive support from trained mental health professionals.
“The new integrated service can give people of all ages specialist mental health support and ensure they can be offered face-to-face support in a safe and therapeutic environment, so, if you or someone you know needs urgent mental health support, please call 111, and select the mental health option.”
NHS Talking Therapy Services are also available for people who need help with other mental conditions, such as anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and PTSD, and anyone can refer themselves online via NHS.uk or by contacting their GP.
A full list of mental health support options is available via the NHS.uk website, and free listening services are also provided by charities such as The Samaritans or Shout Crisis text line.
The NHS continues to advise people to call 999 if there is a serious risk to life.
Local BID board launch new ‘Visit Alty’ app ahead of Taste of Altrincham 2026
Danny Jones
One of Trafford’s resident BID (Business Improvement District) board have officially launched their brand-new ‘Visit Alty’ app for the market town ahead of this year’s A Taste of Altrincham festival.
Set to be a dedicated one-stop where residents can find out what’s going on in and around the area, the platform is already available on the likes of the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android phones.
As A Taste of Alty returns for 2026, this is just the second instalment in the total 10-day food and drink party – with a big opening weekend celebration starting this Friday, 27 February – the latest innovation by Altrincham BID is hoping to keep residents more up to date on their village than ever.
Sponsored by native law firm Myerson Solicitors and supported by various local businesses, the sophomore edition of the now annual festivities serves as the ideal staging event for the fledgling Visit Altrincham app.
Running until Sunday, 8 March, A Taste of Altrincham is even bigger this time around. (Credit: Press shot)
With a full programme events kicking off this weekend, the app itself is ideal for keeping track of everything going.
In addition to workshops, live demos by regional chefs, supper clubs, wine tastings, the latest ‘Ultimate Pudding Competition’ and lots of other special events, it can be hard to keep track of everything.
That why, like any good festival, the app has a full map and guide featuring all the key info.
Beyond just the event itself, the app itself is aimed at supporting local independents and more by helping to increase their exposure, sign-post daytrippers to the old Cheshire holdout’s best bits, and push more and more people to one of the borough’s blossoming suburb in general.
Teaming up with a number of popular locations in and around the town centre, it’s a real come one, come all affair – just as things should be.
Residents and visitors alike can also found physical printed copies of the full Taste of Alty ’26 programme nearby at the likes of Altrincham Library, the Bee Network Interchange, as well as OYEZ Arts at the Town Hall.
Created with digital town hub partners, Loqiva, co-founder Marcus Chidgey said in a statement: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Altrincham BID to support Altrincham’s continued growth.
“With a strong independent business scene, an award-winning Market and excellent transport connections to Manchester, the Visit Altrincham app offers a new way for people to discover and explore the town.”
As for the local BID department, Alty’s director Mandy White added: “If you haven’t downloaded the Visit Altrincham app yet, now is the perfect time. It’s a simple way to find out what’s on, discover local businesses and unlock exclusive offers, especially during A Taste of Altrincham.
“The app helps people get more from their visit while supporting our independent businesses and high street brands.”
The Visit Altrincham app is FREE to download right now – you can find it HERE.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Altrincham BID)
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The local family and fellow Mancunians campaigning to create ‘Kimberley’s Law’ in the UK
Danny Jones
The name Kimberley Louise McAssey might not be familiar to you, but one Manchester family’s hope is that a law proposed in her honour could see her memory kept alive in the minds of many across Great Britain and beyond.
For anyone who doesn’t know the tragic story, Kimberley McAssey, a young mother of just 29 from Prestwich, sadly died after lying unresponsive for more than 30 hours.
It was during this time that decomposition resulted in coroners being unable to deliver a proper post-mortem, meaning not only did the irresponsible delay in contacting authorities prevent potential life-saving measures from being carried out, but also her cause of death from ever being fully determined.
Now, a whole five years on from her passing, the McAsseys, loved ones, locals, and those who have continued to push for crucial updates to legislation as part of the ‘Kimberley’s Law’ campaign across the UK, are finally starting to receive some promising responses from key figures.
As well as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and his office replying in a lengthy letter to the family, Labour MP for Salford, Rebecca Long Bailey, has also promised to examine proposals put forward to Parliament moving forward.
Colleague Christian Wakeford (Bury South) has also shown his support for the cause in the past.
The most significant part of their calls for change comes down to the fact that, surprisingly, it is not currently against the law to postpone and/or avoid calling for an ambulance entirely – something that they and so many others agree seems shocking, to put it mildly.
As a result, Sheridan wasn’t directly charged regarding her death, though he has since been prosecuted and was sentenced to prison on Class A drug possession charges.
Sheridan also declined to attend Kimberley’s inquest at Rochdale Coroners’ Court back in 2024, despite being summoned to give evidence and being the sole witness to the incident.
Credit: Kimberely’s Law Facebook page.Politicians are finally taking notice, but now they need fellow Mancs to get behind them.
It will never be known whether or not the Prestwich resident could have been rescued, nor will we ever be able to truly and definitively confirm how she died, but those committed to remembering are hoping to make sure that situations like this can be avoided in the future.
With family friend Bonnie Greaves and countless other natives to the area having already helped get behind the cause, a petition to the UK government has now surpassed 10,000 signatures.
However, as always, it requires ten times that amount to guarantee it is brought up in the House of Commons, so nearly half a decade on from her passing, people are once again calling for Kimberely Law’s to be brought forward not just as a bill, but as a matter of morality.
You can find out more and sign the official Kimberley’s Law petition for yourself right HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2024 
