ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS: London Ambulance Service's innovative response for patients presenting with mental health problems

摘要

In March 2014, the London Ambulance Service (LAS) identified that demand from mental health patients calling 9-9-9 (London's 9-1-1) for crisis support was significantly increasing in line with overall activity and demand for emergency services. But despite this increase in demand, resources available to LAS didn't increase, which had two main effects on the service: