22/09/2025
The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (“HSSIB”) has launched two investigations to examine patient safety issues relating to care pathways for individuals in a mental health crisis who engage with urgent and emergency care services.
The first investigation will focus on the care of patients experiencing mental health crises in emergency departments. It will examine the knowledge, skills and resources available to staff, the impact of the physical environment on care, and staff decision-making around admission and discharge. Set to launch in October 2025, publication of the final report is expected in summer 2026.
The second investigation will examine the ambulance service’s response to mental health crises via NHS 111 and 999. It will investigate how calls are triaged and prioritised, crew training and their assessments of a patient’s capacity, as well as decision-making regarding when to transport patients to hospital. The investigation is set to begin in spring 2026, with results expected in spring 2027.
HSSIB is encouraging those with an interest in the subject matter (including health and care professionals) to share their experience by emailing enquiries@hssib.org.uk.
At Bevan Brittan we work with many organisations with emergency departments and ambulance services. We understand the complexities that can be faced when they are supporting a person in mental health crisis. It will be interesting to see if HSSIB considers Right Care, Right Person as part of its investigations.
Bevan Brittan will closely track updates from HSSIB as the investigations progress. Depending on the findings, organisations involved in emergency care provision, as well as ambulance service providers (whether in the public, independent, or voluntary sector), may need to update staff training, protocols and service delivery. As further information becomes available, we can offer support in assessing the impact of specific findings and preparing for any regulatory changes. Please get in touch with either Hannah Taylor or Nicole Ho if you’d like to discuss further, and see HSSIB’s website for further details
