Government announces multi-million pound investment as start of NHS mental health care transformation

• Mental
      Health Minister announces funding to transform community mental health
      services as part of NHS Long Term Plan
• First
      tranche of funding will provide twelve pilot sites with 1,000 staff for
      new specialist services to treat range of mental health issues
• Part
      of Government commitment to improve mental health care, backed by an extra
      £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24, £975 million of which is earmarked for community
      mental health provision.

Tens
of thousands of people with mental ill health across England are set to benefit
from better access to psychological therapies, housing advice and employment
support in their communities, as part of landmark plans announced today to
transform NHS mental health care.

As
part of the largest ever funding increase to mental health services, the first
wave of 12 areas have been given the green light to recruit 1,000 extra staff
and revamp local NHS services to build closer ties with charities, local
councils and others – to help support those with the most severe mental health
issues in their communities.

The
12 pilot sites will receive £70 million in funding to bring together staff with
expertise in treating a range of mental health issues, from eating disorders
and alcohol addiction through to complex mental health difficulties such as
psychosis or bipolar disorder.

Today’s
announcement is the first step in a massive £975 million investment into
transforming community mental health services, made possible by the Government
backing the health service with its largest ever funding increase.

Mental
Health Minister Nadine Dorries said:

“This
Government is committed to improving our NHS and today’s announcement will pave
the way for a huge step-change in how the health service supports those with
mental health issues in their communities. We know there are many causes behind
mental illness – including significant life changes, problems at work or
addiction – so it is only right that the NHS brings services together to serve
patients in their communities.

“This
funding, the first step in our extra £975 million investment in community
mental health care, will allow local areas to recruit extra staff to run brand
new specialist services, helping them transform the lives of those suffering
from poor mental health.”

The
Government pledged to radically transform community services for those with
severe mental health issues as part of the NHS Long Term Plan, and the pilots
will be funded as part of the extra £2.3 billion investment in mental health
the health service will receive each year, with a view to rolling out the most
successful approaches across England.

Around
1,000 extra staff will be recruited to the twelve new sites across the country,
which will test out new ways of joining up services, giving people consistent
treatment and ensuring they stay in contact with the right care teams, even as
their condition improves.

This
will mean people with severe mental illnesses, such as eating disorders and
personality disorders, will have better access to psychological therapies and
other specialist treatment as soon as they need it.

With
around 20% of people losing contact with the NHS when they move between
different teams or services, the twelve sites will also introduce new roles
including specialist ‘link workers’, who will be recruited to support people in
accessing the different services they need, including in the voluntary sector.

The
new integrated services will mean young, working age and older adults will be
able to flexibly and seamlessly access specialist mental health support
directly through their local GP practice or community hub depending on the
person’s choice, wishes and severity of need at any given time.

Information
gathered from the experience and outcomes of the sites announced today will
inform new investment in all parts of England from this year, and all local
health and care systems will receive additional funding boosts to transform
community mental health care from 2021/22.

CASE
STUDY

In
North East London, the money will fund new staff to;

• act
      as a broker for patients suffering from mental health conditions with
      their employer
• engage
      with DWP, housing and social benefits departments on behalf of mental
      health patients.
• support
      older, vulnerable patients to access social and wellbeing activities in
      their local area – preventing loneliness, a cause of mental bad mental
      health.

ENDS