Response to NHS Providers’ Report on State of the Sector

The new NHS Providers’ [1] Report on the State of the NHS Provider Sector [2] has found that core mental health services are deteriorating, despite the commitment from Government and NHS system leaders to address long-standing inequalities in care for people with mental health conditions. The report states that rapidly rising demand is overwhelming core mental health services; extra funding is not reaching the NHS trust frontline; trusts are facing major workforce shortages; and mental health does not feature strongly enough in Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) Plans [3].

Association of Mental Health Providers’ Chief Executive, Kathy Roberts, commented:

“It is a challenging environment for the mental health sector as demand for services rises and ‘overwhelms core mental health services’, and although there has been a welcome commitment from the Prime Minister, accompanied by increased funding, it is important that resources are targeted appropriately, so that we can make the right services available to those with mental health conditions.

“It is vital for Mental Health Trusts, NHS providers and other NHS services, commissioners, and national bodies to work closely with the voluntary sector to ensure people are receiving appropriate care and treatment, services which are of a high-quality and are effective. The voluntary sector has an essential role to play in the delivery of services especially in local communities, and it is important a partnership is developed and utilised between the voluntary organisations, NHS Trusts, providers and commissioners. Collaboration is key in these testing times to ensure the best possible treatment and support for people with mental health needs is available.”

ENDS

For more information, please contact Dania Hanif, Policy and Communications Officer, on dania@amhp.org.uk or call 020 7766 7496.

Notes

[1] NHS Providers is the membership organisation and trade association for NHS acute, ambulance, community and mental health services that treat patients and service users in the NHS.

[2] The State of the NHS Provider Sector, NHS Providers, July 2017

[3] Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships consist of 44 partnerships formed by the NHS and local councils in 44 areas covering all of England, to improve health and care. Each area has developed proposals built around the needs of the whole population in the area, not just those of individual organisations. The Partnerships have been developing shared proposals to improve health and care, designed around the needs of whole areas, not just individual organisations.