Emergency departments continue to experience sustained demand, with a growing proportion of attendances linked to acute mental health crises rather than physical illness or injury. Traditional A&E environments are often not designed to meet the needs of mental health patients, contributing to long waits, overcrowding and sub-optimal care.
Earlier this year, the Government announced plans to open specialist mental health crisis centres across England over the next decade, with ten NHS trusts currently piloting new assessment centres. The centres are intended to provide care in calmer, more appropriate environments, reduce waits in A&E and ease pressure on hospitals, emergency services and the police. The programme is expected to expand to dozens of locations as part of the Government’s 10 Year NHS plan.
Vanguard said that while permanent facilities will take time and capital investment to deliver, mobile and modular solutions can provide immediate and flexible capacity. These facilities can be deployed as short-, medium- or long-term options, creating dedicated spaces for mental health emergency care while permanent centres are developed.
The company said healthcare providers are increasingly using mobile and modular units to expand capacity quickly. When configured as ring-fenced or stand-alone facilities, the units can operate as dedicated mental health A&E hubs, positioned adjacent to hospitals or in community settings to divert patients away from general emergency departments.
According to Vanguard, modular mental health emergency facilities can be designed around therapeutic principles, including quiet rooms, natural light, safe furnishings and spaces for de-escalation. By diverting mental health patients to tailored environments, emergency departments are able to focus on physical trauma and acute medical cases, supporting improved patient flow and reduced overcrowding.
Vanguard added that mobile units can be relocated, reconfigured or expanded as demand changes, including through the addition of connected modular sections. The company said this flexibility is particularly valuable in areas with fluctuating demand or constrained estates, and allows facilities to be co-located with crisis teams, social care and voluntary sector partners.
The company highlighted previous projects delivered using mobile and modular infrastructure, including the creation of a temporary Minor Injuries Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. The facility, initially delivered using a combination of mobile and modular units before transitioning to a fully modular building, helped NHS Lothian relieve pressure on one of Scotland’s busiest A&E departments.
A similar approach was taken at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where a Vanguard modular solution was used to establish a minor injuries unit, supporting patient flow and improving the A&E experience.
Vanguard said mobile and modular infrastructure offers policymakers a practical, rapidly deployable option to help address emergency department overcrowding and support the NHS commitment to expand crisis care and provide alternatives to A&E for people experiencing mental health emergencies.