Summary
This Department of Health report outlines the steps to be taken by the government in order to provide better access to care in mental health services. The commitments include the introduction of new national waiting time standards and an increase in mental health funding of £40 million for 2014-5. The government’s vision for further progress before 2020 is outlined.
Reference
Achieving better access to mental health services by 2020. London: Department of Health, October 7th 2014.
Possibly of interest, four pilot schemes have been launched to help unemployed people with mental health problems back into work.
Reference
Buchanan, M. (2014). Mental health: pilots to help people find work launched. London: BBC Health News, October 3rd 2014.
NHS England has announced £120 million investment in mental health services over the next two years
Reference
£120 million investment over next 2 years in tackling mental health. London: NHS England, October 8th 2014.
The charity Time to Change as released survey data showing public attitudes towards mental illness have improved in recent years:
Reference
Baker, S. (2014). Public attitudes to mental health have improved but still more to do. London [Online]: Department of Health, October 9th 2014.
World Mental Health Day
To coincide with World Mental Health Day (October 10th 2014), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance Service have made a training video available, called “Safety in Mind”, demonstrating how police, ambulance and hospital staff can work together in mental health emergencies. This video demonstrates the Mental Health Crisis Care Concordat in action, using a shared language based around the acronym ABCDE in mental health.
Reference
Osterloh, M. (2014). World Mental Health Day – a big day in a busy year. London [Online]: Department of Health, October 10th 2014.
Charitable Contributions
Sport England and Mind have announced a £2m programme to use sport in helping people suffering from mental health problems. Bespoke sports programmes, enabling people access sport as part of their recovery, will be launched in eight areas of England next year. There is £1.5m of National Lottery funding raised by Sport England and £514,000 from Mind.
Reference
Sport scheme to help people with mental health problems unveiled. London: BBC Health News, October 19th 2014.
Insufficient Funding at Local Level?
The charity Mind has pointed out that local authorities in England spend, on average, only 1.4% of their public health budgets on the prevention of mental health problems.
Reference
Public mental health spending in England too low, says Mind. London: BBC Health News, October 28th 2014.
On Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
The Health Select Committee has reported on problems with child and adolescent mental health services:
Reference
Roberts, M. (2014). Child mental health services ‘unfit’. London: BBC Health News, November 3rd 2014.
This relates to:
Reference
House of Commons Health Committee. Children’s and adolescents’ mental health and CAMHS. Third Report of Session 2014–15. Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report. Ordered by the House of Commons to be 28 October 2014. HC 342. London: The Stationery Office, November 3rd 2014.
Of related interest, the Mental Health Foundation has published a guide to commissioning mental health services for young people:
Reference
How to commission better mental health and wellbeing services for young people. London: Mental Health Foundation, October 20th 2014.
