Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 26 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many emergency mental health assessment units are operational (a) nationally and (b) in each NHS board.
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of emergency mental health assessment units available nationally or in each Health Board.
This notwithstanding, we can report that all Health Boards have a 24/7 mental health unscheduled care pathway in place for anyone in need of urgent mental health assessment or urgent referral to local mental health services. These pathways enable local mental health clinicians to receive referrals from the national NHS 24 Mental Health Hub and provide advice and support to frontline services such as Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service. They also avoid the need to attend the Emergency Department unless that is where the person needs to be cared for.