Lewisham's Heather Close Community Mental Health Centre pilot is showing promising results, with early data indicating a significant reduction in emergency department attendances and an increase in face-to-face patient contact.
The centre, which is part of a national pilot for a new 24/7 integrated community mental health model, aims to provide accessible, co-produced, and culturally competent care. Since its launch, it has seen a 43% decrease in mental health crisis attendances at A&E between April and August 2026 compared to the previous year. This reduction specifically targets crisis presentation in the appearance
of mental health emergencies.
Adeniyi Aderinto, Service Director for Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, highlighted the positive impact with a case study of a patient who had previously been admitted to hospital multiple times but has not required admission in recent months after engaging with Heather Close.
Beyond the reduction in A&E attendances, other metrics demonstrating the pilot's success include a significant increase in the use of crisis slots since January 26 with a parallelled decrease in wait times,
and a rise in face-to-face contacts, which were almost 50% higher in July 26 than June and approx. 3x higher than in Feb and March 26.
The Trust is also exploring cost-effectiveness through reduced reliance on more expensive acute services, with formal evaluations being conducted by Ipsos Mori and King's College London.
The centre has partnered with 15 voluntary and community sector organisations, including several Black-led providers, to deliver culturally appropriate interventions and address health inequalities. This collaborative approach has enriched the services offered, with initiatives ranging from mental health support and advocacy to practical assistance with debt, welfare, and housing. The centre aims to provide culturally competent care
through these partnerships. Staff training has been informed by Anti racism workshop training and Anti racism co-production sessions alongside the Experts by Experience,
and psychology and psychotherapy staff have attended workshops on adapting therapy for Black men.
A success of the partnership model is the VCSE Cooperative
which offers a collaborative sector-wide service. However, a challenge noted is the difficulty in integrating services, particularly regarding data recording and the burden placed on smaller voluntary sector organisations. The Trust is working closely with partners to ensure transparency in work hours and reporting.
A therapeutic garden, Kijani Tiba Green,
is also being developed with community partners, Holistic Well Women. This garden will host social and therapeutic horticulture through Day Programme gardening groups, as well as nature-based creative peer support and mindfulness activities. Service users will be trained as Green Peer Support Garden Ambassadors
to help sustain and lead the space.
The centre's extended opening hours, daily crisis slots, and a day programme are designed to move away from a hospital-centric approach and build trusting relationships for continuity of care. Patients can access services through GP referrals, other service referrals, or by walking in. The centre also offers Daily Crisis slots and Walk-ins
and a membership model for faster access to services,
aiming for open access and eliminating waiting times.
Formal evaluations of the pilot are being conducted by Ipsos Mori and King's College London, with interim reports due in December 2026 and final reports in October 2027. The pilot is funded by NHS England until March 2027. The Trust is exploring sustainable funding models for the centre's approach post-pilot, aiming to demonstrate cost-effectiveness through reduced reliance on acute services. The Trust is committed to finding a way to fund the ongoing revenue costs of the centre if the data supports its effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
Councillor Rebecca Jones, a local GP, declared an interest in the meeting due to her role as a BMA member and her partner's involvement with the BMA and as a consultant at Lewisham Hospital. The committee noted the report and requested that the Trust share the final evaluation findings when finalised. See the Public reports pack for more details.
