Community Mental Health Services

Health and Social Care Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 17 Dec 2024 Parliament page
The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into community mental health services. The inquiry will examine what good looks like from the perspective of service users and their families/carers. The Committee would like the inquiry to shine a light on case studies of innovative practice and high-quality care across the country, … Read more
30 Recommendations
2 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
3 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
19 Mar
2026
Report published
19 Mar
2026
Correspondence
19 Mar
2026
Correspondence
11 Mar
2026
Report published
2 Dec
2025
Report published
12 Nov
2025
Correspondence
10 Sep
2025
Oral evidence
21 May
2025
Oral evidence
23 Apr
2025
Oral evidence
12 Mar
2025
Oral evidence
12 Feb
2025
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
10 Sep 2025
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Oral Evidence
Caroline Allnutt · Department of Health and Social Care Gareth Harry · NHS England The Baroness Merron · Department of Health and Social Care
21 May 2025
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Oral Evidence
Darlington Kudakwashe Zvionere · Black Minds Matter UK Janine Smith · Navigo Health and Social Care CIC Karyn Kirkpatrick · KeyRing Living Support Networks Michael Crilly · Social Health & Community Inclusion at Life Rooms (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust) Mr Abdirahim Hassan · Coffee Afrik CIC Mr Jake Mills · Chasing the Stigma Professor Belinda Lennox · University of Oxford Professor Stephen Pilling · University College London
23 Apr 2025
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Oral Evidence
Christian Taylor Christina Taylor Councillor Lorraine Francis · Bristol City Council Duncan Tree · Association of Mental Health Providers Penny East · Think Ahead Peter Devlin · Essex County Council Stephen Parker · Turning Point
12 Mar 2025
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Oral Evidence
Dr Emma Tiffin · Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board Dr Lade Smith CBE · Royal College of Psychiatrists Elizabeth Sutton Eve Mair Jane Yeandle · Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Rt Hon Sir Norman Lamb · South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Samantha Allen · North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board Steve Forsyth · Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust
12 Feb 2025
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Oral Evidence
Chris Frederick Dr Courtney Buckler · National Survivor User Network Francesca Harry Dyson · The McPin Foundation Ian Callaghan Lucy Schonegevel · Rethink Mental Illness Miss Kadra Abdinasir · Centre for Mental Health
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report - Community Mental Health Services HC 566 2 Dec 2025 32 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
1 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Community Mental Heal…
Severity gap reveals unacceptable failing in timely access to mental health care
Timely access to mental health care is not just a matter of convenience— it is a matter of safety, dignity, and equity. Delays in care can lead to preventable crises, greater distress, poorer outcomes, and higher costs to the system. … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts, committing to embedding the voice of people with lived experience in person-centred care delivery. They highlight community-based mental health centres as an example where experts by experience co-produce models to ensure high-quality, timely care, not just at crisis points.
Department of Health and Social Care
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23 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Community Mental Heal…
Support ICBs to adopt multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations delivering community mental health services.
The Department and NHE England should support ICBs to move away from short-term commissioning cycles to multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations supporting the delivery of CMHS. The publication of the Strategic Commissioning Framework presents an opportunity to enable the bold … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, acknowledging the importance of multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations and noting the NHS medium-term planning framework facilitates this. A strategic commissioning development programme will provide practical support to ICBs during 2026-2027 to strengthen commissioning skills.
Department of Health and Social Care
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25 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Community Mental Heal…
Support neighbourhood pilot sites to address digital interoperability challenges and share best practice.
In order for the neighbourhood pilots to realise the potential of the innovative model of care they are trialling, the Government should support the pilot sites to address challenges with digital interoperability, for example through sharing of learning and best … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating NHS England is working with pilot sites to identify digital interoperability barriers and share learning. Insights from these pilots will be collated to inform future guidance and support the implementation of neighbourhood-based models of care if scaled up.
Department of Health and Social Care
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32 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report - Community Mental Heal…
Set out proposals to strengthen mental health system accountability, including Race Equality Framework implementation.
The sector has called for a Mental Health Commissioner to address concerns about a lack of accountability across the mental health system. The Government has said it does not want to take this approach. We ask it to set out … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, outlining that its new approach to mental health will strengthen accountability with clearer standards and transparency. It confirms the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework is now a contractual requirement, with NHS England supporting its full implementation, and promises further proposals for system-wide accountability.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Government Response AI assessment · 32 of 30 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 11
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 2
Not Addressed 11
Rejected 1
Total 30 recs + 2 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
19 Mar 2026 Correspondence from DHSC - Mental Health Expected Spend
Parliament page
19 Mar 2026 Correspondence from DHSC SofS - Mental Health Expected Spend
Parliament page
12 Nov 2025 Correspondence from Baroness Merron re Follow up on 10 September session
Parliament page