Insufficient suitable acute mental-health settings for neurodiverse patients
First to latest report 26 Jan 2023 — 5 Feb 2025
Reports that mention this concern
4
Times this concern has been raised
5
Stated actions linked to this concern
11
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the availability, suitability, acceptance, design or operation of acute mental-health inpatient, crisis or interim holding settings specifically for neurodiverse patients, including tailored inpatient options, beds able to accept autistic patients, therapeutic crisis alternatives and suitable environments while awaiting mental-health admission or assessment.
What is not included
Excludes generic mental-health bed shortages, crisis-service capacity or unsuitable emergency-department environments where neurodiverse patients' specific accommodation needs are not material.
Excludes broader failures to provide accessible healthcare for people with complex neurodevelopmental needs when no acute mental-health crisis, inpatient or holding-setting condition is identified.
Excludes failures in the quality of clinical treatment, assessment or support after a suitable acute setting has been provided.
Excludes routine community mental-health access, long-term social care and non-acute accommodation concerns without a direct acute mental-health placement or holding context.
Trends
Reports over time
Reports mentioning this concern, over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
NHS England3
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board2
Department of Health and Social Care1
Executive non-departmental public body3
Integrated care board2
Ministerial department1
Reports and published responses 4 reports
See individual reports that have raised this concern, and the actions taken in response
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Unsuitability of A&E as a holding environment for people awaiting mental health beds
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
NHS England
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.6
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
Commission and extend 14 additional independent-sector acute adult mental health beds to support winter pressures and capacity.
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
Work with partners to improve timely discharge and support prompt admission for people awaiting mental health inpatient care.
NHS England
Measure response times for people presenting to urgent and emergency mental-health services to support faster access to appropriate care.
NHS England
Monitor patients waiting more than 72 hours in emergency departments for mental-health placements and escalate cases nationally for executive intervention.
NHS England
Provide trusts and systems with action cards to reduce emergency-department waiting times, including actions for people with complex learning disabilities and autism.
NHS England
Develop and finalise a South East standard operating procedure for managing mental-health presentations in A&E departments.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
NHS Sussex has no role in setting up or managing NHS provider environments, including A&E mental health facilities.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
NHS provider organisations are responsible for ensuring existing environments follow national guidance and undertaking required risk assessments.
Redirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised2
Unsuitable A&E holding environment for autistic or neurodiverse people needing mental health beds
Shortage of inpatient beds able to accept autistic patients
This report raised 6 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
Request a formal review of SPFT and subcontracted inpatient-bed use to ensure patients’ needs, including autistic patients’ needs, are appropriately accommodated.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.2
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
The setup and environment of existing provider premises fall outside NHS Sussex’s role; providers must follow national guidance and conduct risk assessments.
Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board
No formal reports substantiate claims that public or private providers refused autistic patients because of their additional risks.
Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Unsuitability of the A&E environment as a holding place for people awaiting mental health beds
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked responses
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS England
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
Department of Health and Social Care
Commit £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres.
NHS England
Establish Mental Health Response Vehicles to assess and treat people away from A&E.
NHS England
Publish guidance for meeting autistic adults’ needs in mental health services, including sensory adjustments relevant to acute healthcare settings.
Surrey
Concerns raised1
Unavailability of inpatient options tailored to patients with neurodiverse conditions in acute crisis
This report raised 4 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Linked response
NHS England
Stated actions An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
NHS England
Establish the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme to support cultural and care-model change across NHS-funded inpatient settings.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.
Actions and positions describe what organisations say in published responses. Implementation is not independently verified.