Mental health patients are being failed as they leave care, warns Ombudsman

In a new report examining issues in transferring people with poor mental health out of inpatient and emergency care, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman has called on the Government to take urgent action including strengthening and bringing forward Mental Health Act reforms.

The safety of mental health patients is being put at risk when they leave inpatient services, leading to a continuous revolving door of care and discharge, the Ombudsman has warned.

Kathy Roberts MBE, CEO of the Association of Mental Health Providers, welcomed the publication today of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s new report ‘Discharge from mental health care: making it safe and patient-centred’.

“This report clearly sets out the imperative for urgent action to improve the planning of and arrangements for care and support of people with mental health conditions when they leave hospital settings. The Association appreciated being invited by the Ombudsman to contribute to the work that has informed the report and its findings. Acting on the report’s recommendations will require meaningful engagement with and effective resourcing of VCSE mental health sector’. Kathy said.

“More than 8 million people in England and Wales access their mental health services and support from the VCSE mental health sector. The importance of the sector’s role in helping to keep people with poor mental health safe and well is evidenced by its work within and understanding of the communities that people will be discharged into and the resources that may be available to them. The VCSE mental health sector also has a strategic understanding of place and systems and of the necessity of working as equal partners with statutory mental health services, in order to make the necessary improvements to deliver the personalised care and support that people living with mental illness or experiencing mental distress are entitled to.”

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Note to editors

Association of Mental Health Providers is the representative body for voluntary and community sector mental health organisations in England and Wales.

We represent:

• 300 plus members,
• delivering over 3000 services locally, regionally and nationally,
• reaching 8 million+ people with poor mental health and illness in the community. This equates to 1 in 8 people receiving support from a voluntary and community mental health provider.

Through our Living Experience Advisory Group, we are working with, being guided by, and learning from people with experience of mental health services.

For more information, visit www.amhp.org.uk

Contact: Annie Waddington-Feather, Email: annie@amhp.org.uk, Telephone: 07713646419

We support, influence, advise, and inform, and are deeply committed to discussing and reporting stories relating to mental health responsibly, helpfully, and in a way that takes into account the needs of the most vulnerable members of the population. Please read the media charter here.

The Association can also be found on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.