More than 6,700 extra mental health workers have been recruited since July, latest data shows, as the government prepares to announce fundamental reforms to patient support in its 10 Year Health Plan.
The latest recruitment milestone means the government is more than halfway towards its target of hiring an extra 8,500 mental health staff by the end of this Parliament, helping get people the care they need so they can get back to work, school and doing what they love.
It comes ahead of publication of the upcoming 10 Year Health Plan, which sets out ambitious plans to boost mental health support across the country.
Under the plan, patients will get better access to support directly through the NHS App, including self-referral for talking therapies, without needing a GP appointment.
Instead of people having to turn to costly mental health apps, the NHS App offers a free service built by trusted clinicians to help give all mental health patients the care they need, continuing the government’s drive to tackle health inequalities.
By embracing the latest technology across the health service, the plan lays the foundation for patients to access mental health support and advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the app.
This could include opening the door to things like AI-driven virtual support as a first port of call, or health and well-being advice only currently accessible through paid-for apps.
And alongside digital advances, 85 new dedicated mental health emergency departments will be built with £120 million secured in the recent Spending Review.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said:
Not getting the right support for your mental health isn’t just debilitating, it can hit a painful pause button on your life – stopping you working, enjoying time with family and friends, or living day-to-day life.
Patients have faced the crisis of access to mental health services for far too long, and this government is determined to change that through our Plan for Change to rebuild the NHS.
That’s why we’re putting digital front doors on mental health services for patients up and down the country and harnessing technology to provide 24-hour care. And we’re creating more opportunities for support not just through the NHS App but through care in your community too.
We are already over halfway towards our target of recruiting 8,500 extra mental health workers, and through our upcoming 10 Year Health Plan we will get more people back to health and back to work.
The new emergency units will be staffed by specialist doctors and nurses, providing around-the-clock support for patients experiencing a mental health crisis.
Patients can walk in or be referred by GPs to the units, which are set to be open 24/7 and designed to provide a calm environment in contrast to the noise and chaos of major hospitals
Alongside this, a Neighbourhood Mental Health Model, providing open access to specialist services and holistic support in community locations 24 hours a day, seven days a week, is already being piloted in six locations.
The reforms come at a time where mental health conditions are becoming more prevalent, with an adult psychiatric survey published this week showing over 22% of 16-to-64-year-olds have common mental conditions, up from 17% in 2007.
Further plans for mental health due to be set out in the 10 Year Health Plan include utilising developments in pharmacogenomics, providing patients with personalised prescriptions and treatments.
Alongside the reforms, the government is continuing its rollout of mental health support teams in schools, with almost one million more young people to benefit in education settings this year.
And plans to set up Young Futures Hubs will make it easier for young people to access mental health, career and pastoral support in their communities, with youth workers, mental health support workers and careers advisers on hand to support young people’s mental health.
Under the Plan for Change, the government is committed to working beyond the health system to tackle the drivers of mental ill health, such as homelessness and unemployment.
For example, recently announced welfare legislation is getting more people with health conditions back to work, backed by £1 billion to unlock opportunity and grow the economy.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said:
Too often, people with mental health conditions are left without the support they need to return to work – not because they lack the will, but because the system doesn’t work for them. We’re determined to change that.
By improving access to mental health services and ensuring employment support is better tailored to individual needs, we will transform people’s lives – helping them get back to health and back to work, which is good for them, good for the country and good for the economy.
The public are also encouraged to take positive actions to look after their own mental health, including through creating their own personalised “Mind Plan” on the Every Mind Matters NHS website.
