Public consultation: Improving Section 136 health-based places of safety

Update (September 2023): NHS Kent and Medway's Integrated Care Board has given the go ahead to proposals to bring local health-based places of safety (HBPoS) together on one site in Maidstone. You can read more here.



Update (July 2023): Improving section 136 health-based places of safety (HBPoS) in Kent and Medway.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who contributed and partners and voluntary and community organisations who helped us involve people by providing support and safe places for the sensitive sharing of personal experiences and views about a difficult topic.


During the eight-week consultation, 19 focus groups were held, more than 476 people took part in face-to-face discussions or responded to the online survey.


All responses have been analysed by Better Decisions Together, an independent research organisation. You can find a copy of the report here


This report, together with the views collected during the earlier engagement improving-mental-health--summary-findings and the evidence and findings which contribute to the decision-making business case have been presented to Medway Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HASC) in June and go to Kent Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) this month, before it goes to NHS Kent and Medway Board for a decision and final approval in September.


Please be assured that we will contact you again once NHS Kent and Medway Board have made a final decision.



What were we consulting on?

Health Based Places of Safety (HBPoS) are the places that Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), provides for adults needing emergency care and assessment under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.

We understand having an assessment in a health-based place of safety may happen when a person is at their lowest moment, overwhelmed by life, at risk of harming themselves or others, or when someone is severely unwell and unable to help themselves or even ask for help.

The public consultation aimed to gather people’s views and hold sensitive and safe discussions about improving mental health urgent and emergency care services, particularly KMPT’s Section 136 health-based places of safety. We want to do more and invite you to share your ideas.

The consultation began on Tuesday, 21 February 2023 and closed at midnight on Tuesday, 18 April 2023.


You said …and we are taking action.

NHS Kent and Medway is already working with system partners to improve services for people who are experiencing mental health crisis and who are in need of emergency care and urgent support.


We know from what you told us that improving existing community services and increasing access to support is important to you, so we are taking action:

You said...we did


Thank you again for your valued support and for providing us with opportunities to listen to people’s experiences and views.


We will continue to involve people we have engaged with on future developments and hope this update is helpful.

Update (September 2023): NHS Kent and Medway's Integrated Care Board has given the go ahead to proposals to bring local health-based places of safety (HBPoS) together on one site in Maidstone. You can read more here.



Update (July 2023): Improving section 136 health-based places of safety (HBPoS) in Kent and Medway.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who contributed and partners and voluntary and community organisations who helped us involve people by providing support and safe places for the sensitive sharing of personal experiences and views about a difficult topic.


During the eight-week consultation, 19 focus groups were held, more than 476 people took part in face-to-face discussions or responded to the online survey.


All responses have been analysed by Better Decisions Together, an independent research organisation. You can find a copy of the report here


This report, together with the views collected during the earlier engagement improving-mental-health--summary-findings and the evidence and findings which contribute to the decision-making business case have been presented to Medway Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HASC) in June and go to Kent Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) this month, before it goes to NHS Kent and Medway Board for a decision and final approval in September.


Please be assured that we will contact you again once NHS Kent and Medway Board have made a final decision.



What were we consulting on?

Health Based Places of Safety (HBPoS) are the places that Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), provides for adults needing emergency care and assessment under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act.

We understand having an assessment in a health-based place of safety may happen when a person is at their lowest moment, overwhelmed by life, at risk of harming themselves or others, or when someone is severely unwell and unable to help themselves or even ask for help.

The public consultation aimed to gather people’s views and hold sensitive and safe discussions about improving mental health urgent and emergency care services, particularly KMPT’s Section 136 health-based places of safety. We want to do more and invite you to share your ideas.

The consultation began on Tuesday, 21 February 2023 and closed at midnight on Tuesday, 18 April 2023.


You said …and we are taking action.

NHS Kent and Medway is already working with system partners to improve services for people who are experiencing mental health crisis and who are in need of emergency care and urgent support.


We know from what you told us that improving existing community services and increasing access to support is important to you, so we are taking action:

You said...we did


Thank you again for your valued support and for providing us with opportunities to listen to people’s experiences and views.


We will continue to involve people we have engaged with on future developments and hope this update is helpful.