Provision of Mental Health Crisis House Services for the population of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland on Behalf of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

Health and social care partners within Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland have recognised the need to ensure that a range of services is available to support service users at a time of mental health crisis. The aim is to offer a greater choice of service and also to enhance the availability and accessibility of such services. Following a successful pilot of the model during 2015 and 2016, the commissioner is looking to award a five year contract for provision of the following service: Crisis houses provide an innovative approach to care and support for people experiencing serious mental illness who may otherwise require admission to hospital. Recent evidence from Sweeney et al (2014), found that, ‘therapeutic alliances, service user satisfaction and informal peer support were greater in crisis house environments than on acute wards’. Crisis houses provide a safe and therapeutic environment for immediate crisis support, whilst remaining focused on on-going recovery, building support networks and preventing future crises.