Round-the-clock mental health support

18 Feb 2026 11:14 AM

People in Scotland will have access to expanded 24/7 mental health support, backed by an estimated £1.5 billion of investment on mental health and wellbeing support from the Scottish Government.

This funding includes £3.5 million of new investment announced today which will make it easier for people to get the help they need, reducing pressure on A&E and other emergency services like Police Scotland.

The funding will enable the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub to expand, offering psychological support for people who will benefit from early access to treatment. The Hub provides round-the-clock help to anyone in Scotland requiring urgent mental health support or who is experiencing distress, connecting callers to trained professionals for assessment, advice and directing them to the most appropriate support.

A new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People, backed by an initial £1 million, will also improve emergency mental health responses across six NHS Board areas.

This complements the success of the Distress Brief Intervention programme, which has already supported over 100,000 people since its establishment with rapid support and follow-up care.

Visiting The Lighthouse for Perth, which offers mental health crisis support for children and young people, First Minister John Swinney said:

“We are working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland, wherever they live, has 24/7 access to the right mental health and wellbeing support.

“Our 24/7 NHS 24 Mental Health Hub has been set up so that calls from anyone in distress are redirected to specially trained practitioners. The service is supporting thousands of people each month and is easing pressure on other frontline services like A&E and the police, and strengthens the range of emergency mental health support available across Scotland.

“We are also launching a new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People today, to improve how young people and their families can access urgent mental health support. I am grateful to organisations like The Lighthouse who have helped shape our approach and who are delivering essential services in our communities. Over the last two years almost 80,000 children, young people and family members accessed Scottish Government-funded community services, and our new Crisis Intervention Fund will enable local areas to go further in offering the right crisis response.”

Sharon Thomas Operations Manager The Lighthouse for Perth said:

"The new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People will be an excellent resource for everyone working in crisis support. The Lighthouse have been working hard over the past 6 years delivering this type of person centred service across Perth and Kinross and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to contribute to the new framework to ensure this will now be available across the whole of Scotland.

"It is a pleasure to have the First Minister visit today and the announcement of additional funding is very welcome. Young people are the future of this country and we need to ensure they have the support they need, when they need it to shape the future of our communities."  

Background

Between the Scottish Government and NHS Boards, subject to the Budget Bill passing, we expect spending on Mental Health to exceed £1.5 billion in 2026-27 based on the most recent cost book data.

A new Crisis Framework for Children and Young People has been launched, which sets out best practice when helping children and young people experiencing a mental health crisis.

The NHS 24 Mental Health Hub provides urgent mental health support to around 10,000 people each month when they call 111. This expansion of NHS 24’s support offers to include Psychological Therapies has been backed with £1.1 million of funding in 2025-26, with an additional £1.5 million in 2026-27.

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Distress Brief Intervention - Connected Compassionate Support | DBI.scot