The government is rolling out new facilities to help people experiencing mental health problems, with the aim of helping people before they reach crisis point.

New community mental health centres on high streets and in neighbourhoods will help people get support earlier, closer to home.

In Devon, the NHS is is working towards one Mental Health Neighbourhood Centre and three Mental Health Emergency Department schemes over the next two years.

The new community mental health centres will bring together mental health and specialist teams under one roof. Working alongside GPs, local authorities, the voluntary sector and families, with links to housing and employment support, they will deliver joined-up care tailored to local communities.

Some of the community hubs will be dedicated newly built facilities, while others will be in libraries, banks and other community or high street locations.

Alongside this, new mental health emergency departments will provide fast, same-day specialist support for people experiencing a crisis who are medically fit and do not need treatment in A&E.

Located within emergency departments and other dedicated facilities, and working closely with ambulance and police services, they will provide a calm, therapeutic environment where people can be assessed quickly and connected to the right ongoing care.

South West regional director of nursing Jill Crook said: "Too many people in the South West are only getting mental health support when they reach crisis point, after struggling for far too long to get the help they need. These new community mental health centres will help people across the region get support earlier and closer to home, making it easier to get the right care before problems escalate. And when someone does need urgent help, our new mental health emergency departments will make sure they are seen quickly by specialist teams in the right setting.”

Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around one in five people experiencing a common mental health condition each year. Too often, people only receive support once they reach crisis point.