Minister visits HPFT’s Mental Health Urgent Care Centre

19 Dec 25

Baroness Merron, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Mental Health, and Kevin Bonavia, MP for Stevenage, visited HPFT’s Mental Health Urgent Care Centre (MHUCC) at Lister Hospital this week to see first-hand how the service supports people in crisis to access timely and appropriate care.

Six people are standing outside a brick building with a white sign above the entrance that reads “Mental Health Urgent Care Centre.” The entrance consists of glass sliding doors, and printed on the glass are colourful kite designs in red, orange, and green. The individuals are wearing professional attire with visible lanyards and badges.

The MHUCC provides an alternative to emergency departments for people experiencing a mental health crisis, offering specialist assessment and brief crisis intervention 24/7, 365 days a year. It is staffed by a range of well-trained and knowledgeable professionals including consultants, psychiatrists, support workers and mental health nurses.

The visit to the purpose-built centre was led by our Chief Executive, Karen Taylor, and Chief Nursing Officer, Emma Wadey.

Leon, a Lived Experience Support Worker at the MHUCC, reflected on the visit:

“The visit was the perfect opportunity for us at the MHUCC to show the vital work we provide to the community and the high level of commitment we all have to giving the best care possible.

“Baroness Merron was also very interested in my role as a Lived Experience Support Worker, where I am able to use my own experience of mental health and the services I’ve accessed to give hope and support to those in crisis.”

Baroness Merron and Mr Bonavia also met with staff and service users to learn more about the service. They praised the calm, welcoming environment and thoughtful design and delivery of the service, noting its potential as a model for other areas across the country.

To find out more about the MHUCC, please visit here.

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Minister visits HPFT’s Mental Health Urgent Care Centre