The Haven, Millview Hospital Hove 

When your loved one is in the middle of a crisis, you are often thrown into having to make an often terrifying and highly charged, emotional decision about their immediate health and treatment options.  

Did you know that there is now a dedicated, mental health crisis assessment facility located on the Mill View Hospital site in Nevill Avenue, Hove.

The Haven is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides support and assessment for adults over the age of 18 in East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton and Hove, who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

The staff at the Haven are there to help re-route the person in crisis from being taken to an impersonal and sometimes frightening environment within a hospital into a calm and nurturing space.

The Haven is run by a team of dedicated NHS staff and is an alternative to attending A&E for people experiencing a mental health crisis. It can also be an alternative to hospital admission which can often cause distress in an already stressful situation.

While this is not a walk in service – If you feel like this is something your sibling might need then you need to be referred by a GP.

Referrals can be made by South East Coast Ambulance Service, Sussex Police, Sussex Community Foundation Trust, acute hospitals via mental health liaison teams or mental health senior nurses, as well as primary care organisations.

It is a welcome change from using the police using section 136 of the Mental Health Act to detain in a person who may be a danger to themselves or others while going through a mental health crisis. This can often make things more stressful.

At the Haven – you would not be given a bed but a reclining chairs and curtained areas. The lights can be dimmed – and comforting blankets to help people feel cozy and looked after.

For more information, please visit the Haven’s website:
www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/thehaven