Concern has been raised that the redirection of a "lifesaving" mental health crisis phone line could pile pressure on to other services after the team manning it reportedly were all signed off sick.
The Brighton and Hove Mental Health Rapid Response phone line has been temporarily redirected since July 27 due to what the NHS described as "unforeseen staffing shortages".
The service is run by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and supports adults with urgent mental health problems.
A Brighton-based NHS healthcare professional, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “The link between the crisis team and the community is gone, because we can’t staff it.
"A&E is already on its knees, NHS 111 is on its knees, the ambulance service is on its knees.
“They are all struggling, and it just piles onto GPs.”
The phone line provides support to people in the Brighton and Hove area if an individual or someone who supports them feels that they are in a mental health crisis and are at immediate risk of harming themselves or others.
Calls to the service from patients, families, and carers are currently being redirected to NHS 111.
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The anonymous healthcare professional said the phoneline has been low-staffed for a long time and had been running at "around 35 per cent staffing".
They added that the situation was "absolutely dire" but "predictable".
“We need to question the resilience of the team and the pressure that the trust is putting their staff under," they said.
"It is a lifesaving service."
A spokesperson for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said: "We have had to make the difficult decision to divert calls from an additional mental health phone line service available to patients in Brighton and Hove, due to unforeseen staffing shortages.
"This service is in addition to round-the-clock telephone support available by calling NHS 111 and selecting the mental health option. All patient calls from the Mental Health Rapid Response service are being diverted to the NHS 111 service as a temporary measure.
"People who need urgent help with their mental health can also text the word SUSSEX to 85258 or visit one of the Staying Well services. Information can be found on our website.
"We are undertaking daily reviews of these arrangements to ensure people receive the support they need."
A spokesperson for NHS Surrey & Sussex Integrated Care Board, which oversees the trust, said: "Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has informed us of the temporary changes to the Brighton and Hove Mental Health Rapid Response Service.
"It is important that people continue to have access to the mental health support they need, and the trust has put alternative arrangements in place so patients, families, carers, GPs and other professionals can continue to access help.
"We continue working closely with the trust to ensure appropriate support remains available for local people until the service reopens."
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