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On 3 August 2026, SIG Penrose officially opened Kelvin Grove Mental Health Crisis House, a pioneering new service delivered in partnership with East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT).
Designed as an alternative to hospital admission for people experiencing a mental health crisis, Kelvin Grove reflects a shared ambition to provide compassionate, person-centred care in a safe, therapeutic and community-based setting.
The opening brought together local MPs, councillors, NHS partners and community representatives, underlining the importance of a service built through collaboration, co-production, and a shared commitment to improving outcomes for local people.
Kelvin Grove is more than a refurbished building. It is a powerful example of what can be achieved when the NHS and voluntary sector work together for a common purpose. By combining clinical expertise, lived experience and trauma-informed support, the service offers people the right care, in the right place, at one of the most difficult moments in their lives.
From the outset, Kelvin Grove was designed differently.
SIG Penrose worked closely with ELFT’s Crisis Teams to shape the service model, referral pathways and resident experience. That partnership continues through joint working, shared learning and ongoing service development, ensuring the service remains responsive to the needs of the people it supports.
People with lived experience were also central to the design process. Their insight helped shape not only the physical environment, including colours, layout and communal spaces, but also the culture, values and everyday approach of the service.
One NHS service user who took part in the co-production process said:
“From the start, people with lived experience were welcomed and treated as equals throughout the process of creating Kelvin Grove. Alongside sharing ideas of the practical aspects, such as colours and layout, we also shared our views on how care can be delivered.
We wanted Kelvin Grove to feel like a home rather than a hospital. Encouraging independence and building a relationship with the staff based on trust rather than risk. Kelvin Grove has been designed with service users, for service users. Creating a unique and consistent approach.”
This ethos is visible throughout Kelvin Grove, from its welcoming environment to the way support is delivered every day.
At the heart of Kelvin Grove is a simple but powerful mission.
Developed by the NHS Service User Group, the service’s mission statement describes Kelvin Grove as:
A home away from home, a safe environment for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. While staying connected to daily life, it allows the freedom to retain independence alongside compassionate support for individual recovery.
Unlike traditional inpatient settings, Kelvin Grove provides a calm, non-clinical environment where residents can receive intensive support while maintaining their independence, dignity and connection to everyday life.
The service supports adults experiencing a mental health crisis who may otherwise be at risk of hospital admission but can be safely supported in the community. Residents typically stay between three and seven days, with support available for up to 14 days where needed. Referrals are made through ELFT Crisis Teams, ensuring people can access timely support when they need it most.
Kelvin Grove provides 11 en-suite bedrooms, welcoming communal spaces and a garden, all carefully designed to create a therapeutic and homely environment.
Residents benefit from 24-hour support, one-to-one sessions, and a programme of meaningful activities focused on wellbeing, recovery and independence. From shared activities to practical life-skills support, including opportunities to learn meal preparation with a chef, every part of the service is designed to help people rebuild confidence, routine and stability.
A key strength of Kelvin Grove is the depth of partnership between SIG Penrose and ELFT.
The service benefits from an in-house Crisis Nurse, providing immediate access to specialist clinical knowledge, guidance and advice. Staff also have access to RIO, the NHS Trust’s clinical records system, supporting effective information sharing, coordinated care, and continuity throughout a person’s crisis and recovery journey.
This level of integration reflects the confidence NHS partners have placed in SIG Penrose’s expertise, governance, and service delivery. It also means that residents benefit from both clinical oversight and trauma-informed, person-centred support in one setting.
Kelvin Grove focuses on early intervention, helping to prevent crises from escalating while supporting people to identify coping strategies, build resilience and reconnect with community networks and services.
Residents are supported through personalised safety planning, recovery-focused interventions and wellbeing activities designed to promote longer-term recovery.
The impact of this approach can already be seen through the experiences of people supported by crisis house services.
Karen, aged 34, was referred following a severe deterioration in her mental health after a relationship breakdown and work-related stress. She was experiencing overwhelming anxiety, low mood, poor sleep and thoughts of self-harm. While she felt unable to cope safely at home, she did not require admission to a psychiatric hospital.
Following a seven-day stay, Karen’s mental health crisis stabilised, her level of risk reduced, and she developed practical coping strategies and a recovery plan. She was able to return home safely with support from community services, avoiding hospital admission and taking positive steps towards recovery.
Karen’s experience highlights the important role that community-based crisis services can play in supporting people at the right time, in the right place, with the right level of care.
As demand for mental health support continues to grow, effective partnerships between the NHS and specialist voluntary sector providers have never been more important.
Kelvin Grove demonstrates how organisations can work together to create innovative alternatives to hospital admission that are clinically informed, recovery-focused and shaped by lived experience. Through co-production, integrated working and a shared commitment to improving outcomes, SIG Penrose and ELFT have created a service that offers people dignity, choice and hope during a mental health crisis.
For SIG, Kelvin Grove is more than a new service. It is a powerful example of our ability to work alongside NHS partners to design and deliver high-quality, person-centred solutions that strengthen local mental health systems and transform lives.
Because when people experience a mental health crisis, they deserve more than a bed. They deserve a place that feels like home.