London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2025

Call for six new mental health hospitals in England as buildings ‘crumble away’

Call for six new mental health hospitals in England as buildings ‘crumble away’

Exclusive: President of Royal College of Psychiatrists warns some facilities ‘dangerously old and not fit for purpose’
Thousands of mental health patients in England are being treated in buildings that are “dangerous” and unfit for purpose, Britain’s most senior psychiatrist has warned.

Dr Adrian James, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, urged the government to fund six new mental health hospitals as part of its promise to build 48 new hospitals by 2030.

Crumbling NHS buildings, leaky roofs and faulty equipment are putting the most seriously mentally ill people in the country at risk of harm and hindering their chances of recovery, James said.

The government has pledged billions in funding to build 48 hospitals by 2030. Of the first 40 hospital projects announced, only two were for mental health, according to the college. The final eight projects have not yet been named but James said at least six of these should be for mental health patients, in order “to address the imbalance of the programme”.

“Thousands of people with a mental illness in England are being treated in mental health hospitals that are dangerously old and not fit for purpose,” James said. “Up and down the country psychiatrists are having to assess and treat patients in buildings that are falling apart and crumbling away.

“People with a mental illness will be let down unless we have buildings that are fit for purpose. The government can no longer afford to pay lip-service to parity of esteem and treat mental health as an after-thought. We need a firm commitment from government that at least six of the new hospitals will be for mental health.”

A total of 269 psychiatrist colleagues of James have written a letter to their MP highlighting their concerns over the dire state of mental health hospitals. They have also issued a warning that the number of people requiring mental health support is unlikely to fall to pre-pandemic levels. Data shows record numbers are seeking help while NHS staff are struggling to deal with the huge backlog of care.

The Covid crisis has led to a wave of new or worsening cases of mental ill-health. Mental healthcare has also deteriorated during the pandemic, with people not getting the support they need and not knowing where to turn in a crisis, which has itself further damaged some people’s mental health.

The most recent survey from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) of 17,322 people who used NHS community mental health services in England in 2020 and 2021 found people’s experience of some areas of care is at its lowest point for eight years.

While the NHS estate as a whole needs urgent attention, mental health facilities are in greater need than most, says the letter from psychiatrists to MPs. “In comparison with the general acute estate, nearly twice as much of the mental health estate in use today was built prior to 1948.

“These crumbling NHS buildings, with leaking roofs and faulty equipment – paired with the inability to implement Covid safety measures such as social distancing – are endangering patients and hindering their recovery.”

According to the most recently available NHS data, the “high risk” maintenance backlog across mental health and learning disability sites increased by 34% compared with the previous year, and by 336% compared with four years ago, the college said.

One retired psychiatrist told their MP: “Do you realise that over my professional life the availability and quality of psychiatric inpatient facilities in the UK have deteriorated drastically?

“Many people wrongly imagine that ‘things must be getting better’ but the opposite is the case. Only serious action by government can end this slide into a total failure to provide care for people with severe forms of mental ill-health.”

The Department of Health and Social Care has been approached for comment.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
Russian Shadow Payments via Cryptocurrency Reach $9 Billion
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
×