The NHS Alliance welcomes cross-government mental health strategy

Responding to the government’s announcement on a Call for Evidence to shape a new cross-government Mental Health Strategy for England, Rebecca Gray, director of The NHS Alliance’s Mental Health Network, said:

 “We welcome the announcement of a cross-government strategy which recognises that mental health is intrinsically linked to wider social factors and public services. It is also an opportunity to create direction and clearer expectations for the NHS.

“The NHS has a central role to play in delivering an ambition that all children, young people and adults can access high-quality support where they live. The strategy should reflect the very best of what mental health providers deliver so it can be available to everyone.

“Although the NHS provides care to tens of thousands of people every day –  keeping people well and saving lives – those who lead and deliver mental health services are acutely aware of what could be improved.

“Too much of our energy and stretched resource is spent on dealing with crisis when we want to be focused on earlier intervention and prevention. There is so much potential to develop and build on change already under way – reducing waits for child and adolescent mental health services, implementing new technologies and genomics and rolling out mental health emergency departments and community mental health centres.

“This is a great opportunity to consider all aspects of mental health, from support for parents and young children, to how schools and workplaces adapt to neurodiversity, and to providing the very best care for those with the most severe mental illness.

“Delivering change in the face of rapidly rising demand and significant financial constraints won’t be easy – it will rely on effective collaboration and partnership across public services, the NHS as a whole, voluntary and independent sector services.”