The Mental Health Urgent Assessment Centre (MHUAC), which opened last week, is located next to the A&E department where work is underway to create a multi-million pound 'Emergency Village'.
The centre aims to provide a safe and calm assessment space for patients who appear at A&E with urgent mental health needs, and have no coronavirus symptoms or physical injuries.
It is open to anyone experiencing mental health concerns over the age of 18 via the emergency department at Blackpool Vic.
There are three assessment rooms with six nurses, healthcare assistants and a team of doctors to ensure anyone presenting with mental health symptoms receives the care they need, without the distractions of beeping machines and people walking around outside cubicles.
The MHUAC is a service for patients with mental health concerns who have been referred from the emergency department.
Anybody experiencing a mental health crisis is urged to call the Mental Health Crisis Line on 0800 953 0110, which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or visit https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/crisis for more information.
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The MHUAC has been designed to be less noisy and busy than the emergency department next door, to provide a calmer atmosphere for anyone in need of mental health care. Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media
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The MHUAC was opened last week, to alleviate demand in the emergency department when patients with mental health concerns are in need of care. Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media
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The new rooms in the MHUAC will allow medics to assess mental health patients in a safe, calm environment before signposting them to the appropriate services. Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media
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Kelly Morrison, MHUAC and Fylde coast urgent pathway service manager.
Kelly said: "We recognise that the emergency department isn't always the best place to attend when in a mental health crisis, so we have this beautiful new unit which is really conducive to supporting people's mental health." Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media
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The centre aims to provide a safe and calm assessment space for patients who appear at A&E with urgent mental health needs, and have no coronavirus symptoms or physical injuries. Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media
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Team manager Carole Middlebrook in one of the assessment rooms. The rooms in the centre will provide patients with a quiet space to undergo an assessment, which will prevent them from needing to wait in the busy A&E department next door. Photo: Daniel Martino - JPI Media