“The Government’s ten-year health plan makes some positive proposals to improve mental health care over the next decade but falls far short of the transformative vision or commitment we need for the nation’s mental health”, Centre for Mental Health chief executive Andy Bell said today.
Responding to the plan’s publication, Andy Bell said: “The ten-year plan promises a step change in the NHS, prioritising prevention, early intervention, community-based services, and wider use of digital technology. It puts integrated ‘neighbourhood’ health care at the heart of the NHS, and it pledges that people will have more of a say in how they are treated.
“All of these promises must apply to mental health support just as much as physical health. Yet the plan says very little about how the gap between them will be closed over the next decade. Mental health waiting lists are still given less importance than those for physical health care. That means 1.6 million people are waiting for treatment in a system that is not held to account as it should be.
“We welcome the plan to create integrated neighbourhood services with mental and physical health care provided together. That could help millions of people with long-term physical conditions whose mental health needs are currently not being met. It must also bring about urgently needed improvement to community mental health services for people of all ages, including in later life. And it must come with a shift in the share of resources in order to be meaningful and sustained.
“While we welcome the commitment to develop a Modern Service Framework for mental health next year to improve quality and effectiveness, it’s vital that this framework is rooted in equity, shaped by lived experience and meaningfully integrated with wider systems of support.
“We are pleased to see a clear commitment to assertive outreach services for people who need more support for their mental health. It is vital that these are fully resourced and well-connected with other local services. This cannot be done without adequate investment and the necessary workforce. And it is essential that the Government resources public health, social services and the voluntary and community sector alongside the NHS to meet people’s needs effectively.
“We hope that the planned investment in ‘mental health emergency departments’ will be spent wisely. People with a mental illness should have the same right to timely and effective treatment in A&E as anyone else. New facilities should be developed with care, in partnership with user groups, and subject to robust evaluation. People with mental health difficulties need a range of offers in a crisis, including alternatives to hospital. And it remains essential to redevelop or replace inadequate wards, many of which predate the NHS itself.
“We welcome the Government’s continued commitment to expanding mental health support teams in schools and colleges, and early support hubs for young people. These are vital provisions that must be part of a comprehensive system of support for children and young people’s mental health in every part of the country.
“We’re pleased to see the Government’s commitment to expanding Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across the country. We know that meaningful paid employment – with the right support, and free from coercion or sanctions – can also boost people’s mental health.
“While there are some very welcome promises in the plan, it falls far short of offering the level of ambition that we need for our mental health over the next decade. There is little in this plan that will prevent mental ill health. It gives no guarantees of fairer funding for mental health services. It has not taken the opportunity to put in place vital access and waiting time standards. There is no plan to grow the mental health workforce to anything like the numbers we need. And it does not make a commitment to the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework.
“It is now essential that the NHS produces an implementation plan for mental health services. This must set clear and high standards for quality and equality, and support local NHS organisations and their partners to make the necessary changes to the services they offer. It cannot be left to chance.
“We also need the Government to step up and commit to a cross-government mental health plan. We now know for certain that the nation’s mental health has got significantly poorer over the last decade. It’s time to start turning that around.”
