Nurse views sought for government mental health strategy

Nurses are being asked for their views on transforming mental health care as part of the government’s new mental health strategy.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced today (15 May) a new ‘call for evidence’ from nurses and other healthcare professionals to help shape its new cross-government mental health strategy.

It is hoped the new strategy will ‘transform care’ in England and shift from crisis intervention to preventative care by treating people earlier and faster, and supporting those with mental health conditions to ‘live a full life’.

The announcement comes as demand for mental health services has ‘risen rapidly’, the DHSC said, particularly among children and young people. The government said around one in five people are now affected by a mental health condition.

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As well as the call for evidence to shape the strategy, the government pledged to make £473m available over the next four years for mental health emergency departments, community-based mental health centres and the rollout of support teams in schools.

Minister for mental health Baroness Merron said: ‘This government believes that mental health should be treated with the same seriousness as physical health, yet too many people across the country are struggling to get the support they need, when they need it.

‘Alongside record investment in mental health services and more mental health workers than ever in the NHS, this strategy will give mental health the attention it deserves and set us on a new direction -one that focuses on earlier help, faster access and a whole-system approach.

‘We want to hear from everyone with a stake in getting this right, including frontline clinicians, service providers, and people with lived experience of mental health conditions, so that we can build a system that truly works for everyone.’

The government also plans to look beyond clinical settings and to consider the role of schools, workplaces, the voluntary sector and local governments in promoting positive mental health.

It will also respond to forthcoming recommendations from the independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, chaired by eminent psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy.

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The new strategy will form part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan which aims to ‘reform the NHS into a preventative, digitally enabled, community-focused service’.

Chief executive at the Mental Health Foundation Mark Rowland said: ‘This is a big moment for England’s mental health.

‘For many years, we’ve been calling for a radical shift towards a cross-government approach with a focus on prevention, and we look forward to contributing to the plan’s success.

‘Our nation’s mental health has gone downhill over recent decades due to things like the Covid-19 pandemic and the legacy of austerity.

‘But change is possible, and we are pleased that the government is taking action.

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‘We will be advocating for the plan to be ambitious, evidence-led and with a real focus on those communities most at risk of poor mental health; and to address the social and economic factors that shape all our mental health.’

The call for evidence opens today and will remain open for eight weeks, closing on 10 July.