Policy watch
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20428301111140868 |
| Pages | 45-48 |
| Date | 23 May 2011 |
| Published date | 23 May 2011 |
| Author | Simon Lawton‐Smith |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care |
Policy
Policy watch
Simon Lawton-Smith
Abstract
Purpose – This paper reviews recent and forthcoming developments in mental health policy across the
UK.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper summarises and comments on recent policy documents
and initiatives.
Findings – The paper reflects how changes to policy might impact on mental health services.
Originality/value – The paper updates knowledge of recent and forthcoming mental health policy.
Keywords Mental health policy, Personal health services, Public mental health
Paper type Conceptual paper
Well, it did not arrive before Christmas, as originally intended, but it eventually popped out
on early in February – the Coalition Government’s new mental health strategy for England
(Department of Health, 2011a).
And it did not come alone into the world. Alongside it came an impact assessment and a
series of supporting documents, all downloadable from the Department of Health web site
(www.dh.gov.uk) if you have a spare day or two to read them:
Bdelivering better mental health outcomes for people of all ages;
Bthe economic case for improving efficiency and quality in mental health;
Btalking therapies: a four year plan of action;
Bexpand talking therapies services in line with the mental health strategy – impact
assessment; and
Bleaflet – no health without mental health: a cross-Government mental health outcomes
strategy for people of all ages – a call to action.
A quick reminder of the strategy’s ancestry. It succeeds the previous government’s
fledgling New Horizons mental health strategy (cut short by the change of Government
in May 2010), which itself had succeeded the National Service Framework for Mental
Health of 1999 (for adults of working age) and those parts of the Frameworks for Older
People (2001) and for Children and Young People (2004) that dealt with those groups’
mental health. Those with middling to long memories will recall that those frameworks
were heavily target-based and were accompanied by significant amounts of new money,
in particular driving the expansion of community services for people with more serious
mental health needs.
By contrast, the Coalition Government’s strategy focuses on outcomes, not targets (this is of
course, true of the Government’s general approach, not just in health) and, with a couple of
exceptions, is not accompanied by much in the way of new money.
DOI 10.1108/20428301111140868 VOL. 15 NO. 2 2011, pp. 45-48, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308
j
MENTAL HEALTHAND SOCIAL INCLUSION
j
PAGE 45
Simon Lawton-Smith is
Head of Policy at the
Mental Health Foundation,
London, UK.
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