Responding to Mental Health Crises with the London Ambulance Service (LAS). Mental Health Part 1

Mental health crises are one of the most complex and sensitive challenges faced in pre-hospital care. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) plays a critical role in responding to these emergencies, from the moment a 999 call is made to frontline crews delivering urgent interventions. But how does the system work as a whole? How are these calls assessed in the control room, and what role do specialist paramedics and mental health professionals play in shaping patient outcomes?

In this episode, we dive deep into Pre-Hospital Mental Health Response, exploring how the LAS manages real-time mental health incidents, the operational and clinical decision-making that happens behind the scenes, and the challenges of coordinating care across multiple agencies. We’ll hear about the evolving role of mental health-trained paramedics, case studies of successful interventions, and the key lessons learned from high-risk situations.

Joining us are colleagues from the London Ambulance Service Mental Health Team, who will share their experiences from both the frontline and the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), giving us a full picture of how pre-hospital mental health care is delivered in one of the busiest ambulance services in the world.

This episode is a deep dive into how mental health services are integrated and embedded within an ambulance service as a fundamental part of emergency care service delivery to the population.

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