Mental Health Services: Waiting Lists
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting list times for mental health services.
Answered by Preet Kaur Gill
The Government expects waiting times to reduce over time as reforms take effect. As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, this will be supported by expanding the workforce, improving productivity, investing in digitally enabled therapies, and introducing new models of care in the community, including community mental health centres that bring together services to improve access and reduce delays.
The Department is working with NHS England to improve the measurement and consistency of waiting time data across mental health services, including through the development of measures that will consistently capture when a patient has received meaningful help and started treatment across different areas.
This work will support future decisions on the role of waiting time standards as part of wider service reform. We cannot comment on the specific policy detail in the final Mental Health Strategy at this time, as it will be informed by the Call for the Evidence, the Prevalence Review final report, and any relevant wider evidence.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →