Mental Health Urgent Assessment Centres (MHUAC)

The Mental Health Urgent Assessment Centre (MHUAC) is a specifically designed clinical area which supports the timely assessment of a person with mental health needs, away from the acute hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) where there is no medical need. The MHUAC is an extension of the activity of our Mental Health Liaison Teams (MHLT).

The MHUACs are effectively an outpatient facility and patients are not “admitted” to the MHUAC as they would be to a mental health short-stay or inpatient unit. They can however, where clinical priorities dictate, be used for patients whilst they await an inpatient bed becoming available as part of the admission lounge.

What it offers

Mental health assessments take place by MHLT in a calm environment with support from mental health staff, also providing an admission lounge to support service users waiting for admission to an inpatient bed who would ordinarily remain in A&E.

How to access

Access is via A&E only, MHLT receives referrals from A&E and then triages to consider transfer to MHUAC for a mental health assessment to take place where there is no medical need to remain in A&E or where medical intervention has been completed.