NHS Confederation Launch New Network To Improve Mental Health Services For Patients, UK

On the day that marks the launch of its new mental health network, the NHS Confederation is publishing a poll which shows that the majority of NHS mental health service leaders feel that mental health services have been adversely affected by pressures such as meeting the 18 week target.

In a recent poll of 71 NHS organisations providing mental health services, 40 chairs or chief executives responded. 85 per cent of those responding agreed or strongly agreed that mental health services have been adversely affected by pressure on other parts of the health economy, for example meeting the 18 week target and balancing the books.


Steve Shrubb, director of the new Mental Health Network said:


"It is not surprising that such a high number think that mental health services have been affected in a negative way because of the NHS having to achieve tough targets and balance the books. For many years, mental health has been the 'Cinderella' service of the NHS and this must change.


"However, we need to be careful not to dwell on a past which cannot be changed. We now need to look to the future, address the issues and tackle some of the underlying problems in the system that are having a negative impact on the delivery of mental health services.


"We need more responsive services that are sensitive to the needs of people from black and minority ethnic communities. We also need to ensure that patients and their families have more control and influence over the design and delivery of their care.


"These improvements and many more need to happen at a faster rate than those in the past. One in four people will suffer with some form of mental illness during their lifetime and we need to ensure we are able to deliver the best possible care to them."


The new network will work with its members - providers of NHS mental health services in England - to continue to develop mental health provision. Some of the areas that the new network will look at include:


-- Improving access to physical care, talking therapies, employment and education for patients;

-- Developing commissioning of mental health services to ensure that a wide range of effective, efficient and creative providers is maintained and that the commissioning of services are based on, and informed by, the experiences of patients

-- Improving the experience of patients with mental health problems who are inpatients in an acute settings


The Mental Health Network will also feed into the voice of the whole NHS through the NHS Confederation, supporting solutions that benefit the whole system and therefore patients and the public.


The NHS Confederation represents more than 90% of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.


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