Specialist mental health response vehicle helping to reduce hospital admissions across Somerset
A specialist Mental Health Response Vehicle (MHRV) is helping to reduce hospital admissions in Somerset.
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) in collaboration with Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (SFT) operate the vehicle across Somerset providing a dedicated mental health support service ensuring that people across the county who are experiencing a mental health crisis, get the right support that they need.
First piloted in January 2024 and made a permanent service in February 2025, the MHRV has already helped more than 721 patients avoid admission to emergency departments in Somerset during its first 20 months of operation.
The service is designed to respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis and operates seven days a week, from 10am to 10pm, during peak demand times. It is staffed by a SWASFT Emergency Care Assistant or Emergency Ambulance Associate and a mental health clinician from SFT, combining emergency response with specialist mental health expertise.
The vehicle itself has been carefully adapted to offer a calm and therapeutic environment, with soft lighting and comfortable seating. It is not fitted with typical medical equipment or stretchers, helping to preserve the privacy and dignity of patients in distress.
While its primary focus is mental health, the MHRV is equipped to attend other life-threatening emergencies when needed, such as cardiac arrests, ensuring a flexible but focused response across the region.
Key benefits of the service include:
Reducing the need for emergency department attendance, particularly for patients in crisis.
Providing an on-scene assessment space, allowing other ambulance crews to be released more quickly.
Supporting timely, tailored care that aids patient recovery and respects individual needs.
Around 89% of patients seen by the MHRV between January and August 2025 did not require onward conveyance to a hospital emergency department.
Matthew Truscott, Head of Mental Health at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said; We are proud to have launched and embedded this vital service for people in Somerset. Mental health-related concerns make up around 10% of the 999 calls SWASFT receives, and this initiative enables us to respond in a more appropriate and compassionate way.
We're grateful to Somerset NHS Foundation Trust for funding this work, and to all those who have supported its development. Together, we're delivering the right mental health care in the right place - improving patient outcomes and supporting our staff to use their skills where they are most needed.
We also want to remind people that support is always available. If you are experiencing mental distress, you can call NHS 111 and select the mental health option to speak to a trained practitioner. For life-threatening emergencies, always dial 999.
Laura Hopkins, Operational Service Manager for the Countywide Home Treatment service, First Response Service, and Urgent Care Hub at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said; It has been a pleasure to work with our colleagues at SWASFT to launch and develop this service. Hospital emergency departments are not always the best place for someone in a mental health crisis and can sometimes cause further distress for those in crisis.
The MHRV provides a patient-centred alternative that supports people when and where they need it most. By combining our expertise, we've been able to reduce pressure on hospitals in the county and more importantly, deliver better care for patients.
The MHRV is available to attend patients of all ages, including children and young people. Following a 999 call, the mental health clinician on board can carry out an initial assessment and either refer or signpost individuals to the most appropriate follow-up services. The vehicle can also transport patients when needed, provided no immediate physical intervention is required.
This service is part of a wider approach by SWASFT and NHS providers across the South West to support people in mental health crisis, with similar mental health response vehicles now operating across Cornwall, Dorset and Gloucestershire.