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Progress on mental health services 鈥榬equires improvement鈥, finds panel led by 最准的六合彩论坛 academic

9 December 2021

An expert panel, Chaired by 最准的六合彩论坛鈥檚 Professor Dame Jane Dacre, has concluded the UK Government鈥檚 overall progress to achieve its nine key commitments on mental health services 鈥榬equires improvement鈥.

Professor Dame Jane Dacre

Set up by the cross-party Health and Social Care Committee, the independent panel has piloted a new evaluation system, giving Care Quality Commission-style ratings on the government鈥檚 performance in meeting policy commitments on mental health services in England.

The objective evaluation is designed to enhance the select Committee鈥檚 core task of holding the government and ministers to account.

Published today, the听Panel鈥檚听Report,听鈥楨valuation of the Government鈥檚 progress against its policy commitments in the area of mental health services in England鈥 examined nine commitments across four policy areas: workforce; children and young people鈥檚 mental health; adult common mental illness; and adult severe mental Illness.

Alongside an overall rating, each of the nine commitments received a CQC style rating; eight of the nine were rated 鈥榬equires improvement鈥, with one rated 鈥榞ood鈥.

Dame Jane, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee鈥檚 Expert Panel, and Professor of Medical Education at 最准的六合彩论坛, said: 鈥淥ur Expert Panel has assessed听to what extent听commitments听on improvements to听mental health services听for adults and children,听and听the听expansion of听the听workforce听have been met.听Our overall verdict is that the Government鈥檚 progress requires improvement.听听

鈥淥n growing the workforce,听every aspect of the Government鈥檚 commitment to do so requires improvement.听Despite an overall increase in staff, in some important areas, such as psychiatry and mental health nursing, targets have not been met.听This听is a听wake-up call because shortages听represent the single biggest threat to national ambitions to improve mental healthcare,听with an impact on听delivery across all mental health services.

鈥淥n commitments听to services for adults with听severe听mental health illness, there听are a number of aspects听where we have rated progress as inadequate.听

鈥淭hroughout听our work听a听prominent theme听of inequality听emerged听on outcomes, provision and access to听mental health services听with听striking听differences听between regions and ethnic groups.听This failure to ensure equality reflects听a lack of overall progress within the commitments we have evaluated.鈥

The Health and Social Care Committee鈥檚 Expert Panel consists of seven core members. To assist the Panel鈥檚 evaluation into mental health services in England, they were joined by mental health specialists including Professor Peter Fonagy OBE, Head of the 最准的六合彩论坛 Division of Psychology & Language Sciences. 听

Health and Social Care Committee report

The Expert panel鈥檚 evaluation of the UK Government鈥檚 mental health pledges, has fed into 'The Health and Social Care Committee鈥檚 Children and Young People鈥檚 Mental Health Report', also published today.

In conclusion, the H&SCC Report calls for urgent action听to prevent children and young people鈥檚 mental health services, 鈥渟lipping backwards听as a result of additional demand听created by the pandemic and the scale听of unmet need prior to it鈥.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt said:鈥淧artly because of the pandemic, we are seeing demand for mental health treatment pushing NHS services to breaking point. Whilst we recognise that capacity to provide such services is increasing, we are not convinced it is happening at a fast enough rate.

鈥淭here is a growing risk that elective and emergency care pressures will mean mental health services once again become the poor relation.听

鈥淥ur report uncovers good progress in schools provision but a continuing failure to find community care for too many young people who end up in inappropriate secure provision that makes their illness even worse."

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Media contact听

Henry Killworth

Tel: + 44 (0) 7881 833274

E: h.killworth [at] ucl.ac.uk