There are hundreds of things the NHS and social care organisations in south west London are doing to help people stay well this winter – we’re sharing 10 points from the winter plan.
With a growing number of people in mental health crisis in Emergency Departments, teams across south west London are making changes to offer better support.
This includes the new NHS 111 ‘press 2’ service which has been running for almost a year, as well as a rapid assessment pilot in Kingston Emergency Department – which is part of a range of measures across the four south west London hospitals.
A year of NHS 111 ‘press 2’ for mental health
Ryan Brookes is the Clinical Service Lead for NHS 111 Mental Health in Croydon, he helped launch the new service in 2014 and manages a team at their call centre: “People who call 111 with mental health challenges speak to trained practitioners - our main goal is to support people’s needs and offer a safe alternative to visiting A&E.”

With around 2,000 calls each month, many of them from people experiencing mental health crisis – such as suicidal thoughts or recent overdoses – timely support is crucial.
Ryan explains the support the service offers: “Often callers are directed to crisis assessment teams instead of A&E – these teams often see people within hours. We’ve also referred thousands to services such as talking therapies, crisis cafés, and charities, and user feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Step into the 111 call centre in Croydon and you’ll notice the typical open-plan office layout, staff at computers wearing headsets. But the nature of these calls couldn’t be more important.
“We have mental health concerns ranging from low mood and panic attacks right up to severe mental health issues like schizophrenia and suicide,” says call handler and nurse Queenie. “Sometimes callers don’t always know how at risk they might be – but we’re trained to ask specific questions, to really get to the heart of what’s going on.”
All the mental health nurses working in the service have at least two years of training and a year of experience in mental health settings, with ongoing support in their roles. Queenie explains: “We’re essentially a team that supports each other, drawing on each other’s expertise. We also have regular training, so that we’re constantly building our skills and knowledge.”

Queenie’s motivation comes from a personal experience of losing a family friend to mental health challenges. “She called for help, but none of us really understood what she needed,” Queenie recalls. “That motivated me to get into mental health, to understand where people are coming from, and help them in a way I wish we had done before. If we truly understand where they’re coming from, we can give them the right treatment and help them live a fulfilling life.”
While the ‘press 2’ service is effective at getting people in crisis the support they need, the service is keen to increase awareness as they have capacity. In 2025, a text-message service will be introduced as a new way for people to get in touch and increase capacity further – designed for those who prefer not to speak over the phone.
South West London residents can also access support from local Mental Health Crisis Lines – 0800 028 8000 for residents in Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton or Wandsworth and 0800 731 2864 in Croydon. Both the Crisis Line and ‘111 press 2’ are available 24/7 for adults and children of all ages, and to people who haven’t previously accessed mental health services. You can call for yourself or someone else.
Amaka, a Crisis Line responder for South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust describes the support available: “It’s okay to reach out for help during a mental health crisis. There’s no pressure or obligation, and you don’t need to be in immediate danger to call. The Crisis Line is staffed by professionals who provide a safe, non-judgmental space to listen and support you. You don’t need the “right words” or to share everything at once; just start where you feel comfortable. Conversations are confidential, and you’ll be guided through the next steps if needed.”
Read more of our winter stories.