Putting People at the Centre of Crisis Care

Redesigning mental health crisis services isn’t just about changing systems or pathways; it’s about changing how we work with people. Recent workshops led by Adferiad alongside NHS Wales Performance & Improvement show just how important it is to involve those with lived experience in shaping the mental health support they rely on.

A main theme became apparent: services work better when they are built with people, not just for them. Those who have experienced crisis often described systems that felt confusing, fragmented, and at times lacking compassion. By bringing service users, staff, and partners together in the same space, the conversation shifted. It became less about fixing people and more about fixing how support is offered.

One of the most powerful insights was that ‘crisis’ can mean different things to different people. Trying to define it too strictly risks missing the point. What matters more is how services respond: taking time to listen, communicate clearly, and understand what individuals actually need in that moment.

The role of the third sector also stood out strongly. Organisations like Adferiad bring a different kind of expertise by being grounded in lived experience, community connection, and flexibility. Rather than being seen as an add-on, our contribution is essential. Treating the third sector as an equal partner alongside statutory services helps create a more joined-up and responsive system.

The workshops explored a simple framework: somewhere to go, someone to help, someone to respond, and someone to support. While straightforward, these ideas reflect real gaps in the current system. People need welcoming, safe spaces, not just busy emergency departments. They need clear and easy ways to access help, and responses that feel human, not purely clinical. And importantly, support shouldn’t stop suddenly, once the immediate crisis has passed.

What sits underneath all of this is co-production. Not as a one-off exercise, but as an ongoing way of working. It means working together, valuing different kinds of expertise, and being open to doing things differently.

If services are serious about improving crisis care, this approach isn’t optional, it is essential.