Mental Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Mental Health Strategy for England on waiting times for mental health services; what steps he is taking to ensure that a shift towards earlier intervention and community-based support does not result in reduced access to specialist clinical treatment for those with severe mental illness; and whether he plans to publish modelling on projected workforce and funding requirements arising from the strategy.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The new cross-Government mental health strategy for England will aim to transform mental health care into a system that responds earlier, reduces waiting times for support, and intervenes before distress escalates to diagnosis or crisis. This includes a shift towards more community-based and preventative support, alongside improving how services are delivered.
We are clear that this shift must go hand in hand with high-quality treatment for those with the most severe and complex needs. There will always be a need for specialist inpatient care, which should be safe, high-quality, recovery-focused, and delivered in the least restrictive way possible.
The strategy will align closely with the reformed Mental Health Act 2025 and the Modern Service Framework for severe mental illness, which will set consistency in quality standards across the country so that patients and families get the best quality, evidence-based treatment and support.
National Health Service mental health spending is forecast to increase to a record £16.1 billion for the 2026/27 financial year, and the Government has met its commitment to hire an extra 8,500 mental health workers, three years ahead of schedule. The Call for Evidence therefore seeks feedback on how we can better maximise the impact of our existing policies, such as mental health support teams and community-based mental health services. It also invites views on the main factors that are needed for delivering services, such as workforce.
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