Whole government signs up to mental health and wellbeing

7 December 2009

For the first time, the whole of government has today committed to promote mental wellbeing and to make life better for people with mental health problems.

The New Horizons strategy brings with it a new set of ambitions for the next 10 years of mental health policy in England. The Future Vision Coalition particularly welcomes the pledge to develop services that enable people with mental health problems to recover their lives on their own terms. And we welcome the strong focus on intervening early and on age-appropriate rather than age dependent services.

The test now for the whole of government is whether it can pull together to deliver the important promises made in the strategy. With public finances tight, there has never been a better time to improve the quality of mental health care and support and to do more to promote good mental health.

We therefore call on government to put its words into action, for example by implementing the Bradley Report and the Perkins Review; by developing a robust public mental health strategy; and by improving the links between mental and physical health care.

Too often, promoting good mental health and improving mental health services have been seen as opposing priorities. New Horizons acknowledges that in fact we need to do both. We need to finish the job of building better mental health care for all who need it but we also need to take action to improve mental wellbeing for all, especially those most at risk of significant ill health now and in later life.

Mental Health Network director Steve Shrubb said:

"This is a real and welcome step forward and the vital point is that an entire government has signed up to focusing on mental health and wellbeing. We welcome the twin track approach the strategy adopts of focusing on improving mental well being and improving service.

"Through working together we can intervene early and make sure that people are not lost in the system as they move between different services and agencies."

Sainsbury Centre joint chief executive Dr Bob Grove said:

"The National Service Framework for Mental Health brought about momentous changes in the quality of mental health care available in communities across England. The challenge now is to keep up the pace of reform and to enable people with mental health problems a fair chance in life and the opportunity to make better lives for themselves.

"We especially welcome the emphasis on promoting good mental health and on intervening early when people first show the signs of mental distress. Acting early to reduce the risk of conduct and emotional problems among children should be the norm across the country."

Professor Dinesh Bhugra, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists said:

"We are particularly pleased to see the strategy identifying a skilled workforce as the main resource for delivering high quality care. The College is committed to playing its part in the effective delivery of the New Horizons agenda, and we will be considering the broader implications of New Horizons for the training of psychiatrists and the delivery of clinical care. The challenge now is to translate this broad agenda into concrete actions that will, in a consistent way, make a real difference to the lives of people with mental health problems."

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind:

"Our understanding of mental health has developed enormously over the last ten years, and where previously we focused on providing services for people with mental health problems, we have finally reached a stage where we can also plan to transform the wellbeing of the nation as a whole. Future governments must now use this vision as a baseline for developing better mental health services and creating a healthier, more productive society."

Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:

"Mental health needs to become a national priority and New Horizons is an important first step. Without good mental health our relationships, jobs, and physical health all suffer. We need to get to grips with the financial and social burden that poor mental health places on the NHS and society as a whole, and the way to do this is by promoting the mental health of everyone."

Rethink chief executive Paul Jenkins said:

"The New Horizons strategy could revolutionise the quality of life and care available to people affected by severe mental illness. People with a mental illness want to work and with the right support and guidance can enjoy rewarding careers."