UK Inquiry Tracker

Rural mental health

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry

Opened: 16 Nov 2021 Closed: 9 Nov 2023 Parliament page

Improving the quality of mental health provision has been an increasing priority for the Government and the NHS in recent years. The NHS Long Term Plan, published on 7 January 2019 sets out the NHS’s aim to advancing mental health equalities, and commits it to providing an additional 380,000 people … Read more Improving the quality of mental health provision has been an increasing priority for the Government and the NHS in recent years. The NHS Long Term Plan, published on 7 January 2019 sets out the NHS’s aim to advancing mental health equalities, and commits it to providing an additional 380,000 people per year with access to adult psychological therapies by 2023/24. Mental health support is often concentrated in areas of high population and access to services in rural and remote communities can be limited to a lack of facilities and other factors, such as limited public transport. It’s been argued that the low visibility of mental health service in these communities can lead to culture of self-reliance which can prevent people from seeking support earlier, instead only seeking support when they have already reached ‘crisis’ stage. The quality of mental health support in rural areas are in response to “shocks” – such a flood and animal culls - has also been raised the Committees inquiries into other topics. Farming and other agricultural related professions are known to face particular mental health challenges, with higher than average rates of depression and suicide. The Farm Safety Foundation reporting that that one farmer a week in the UK dies by suicide whilst research by Edinburgh University has shown that the rate of suicide in the veterinary profession is at least three times that of the general population. According to the Farm Safety Foundation, 81% of farmers under 40 believe that mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today and 92% believe that promoting good mental health is “crucial” if lives are to be saved and farmers kept safe. Our call for evidence ended on 21st January 2022. We understand that the issues raised in this work may be sensitive or upsetting and the following organisations may be able to offer support or further information: Samaritans – General support for everyone. Call 116 123 - 24 hours a day, every day Email jo@samaritans.org Mind – for information, advice, and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Call: 0300 123 3393. Citizens Advice - For independent, free advice provided by a network of charities online, over the phone and in person on a wide variety of issues including benefits, work, debt, housing, family and immigration. Adviceline is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Adviceline (England): 0800 144 8848 Show less

21 Recommendations

10 Conclusions

1 Report

5 Oral sessions

5 Events

Activity timeline 12 events

3 Nov
2023

Report published

Seventh Special Report - Rural Mental Health: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourth Report

18 May
2023

Report published

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

12 Jul
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

12 Jul
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

21 Jun
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

21 Jun
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

24 May
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

24 May
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

26 Apr
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

26 Apr
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

15 Mar
2022

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

15 Mar
2022

Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions

12 Jul 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Claire Murdoch · NHS England Gillian Keegan · Department of Health and Social Care Jonathan Baker · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Samantha Allen · North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board Zoe Seager · Department of Health and Social Care

21 Jun 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Dr Jaspreet Phull · Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Dr Tim Sanders · Royal College of General Practitioners Jacqui Morrissey · Samaritans Kate Miles · DPJ Foundation Professor Jim McManus · Hertfordshire County Council Sarah Connery · Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

24 May 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Carol Stockman · Cotswolds Community Wellbeing Service Danny Hutchinson · Invictus Wellbeing Edward Richardson · Farm Cornwall Janette Smeeton · Derwent Rural Counselling Service Mrs Melinda Raker · You Are Not Alone Stephen Dodsworth · Darlington Farmers Auction Mart Trudy Herniman · Farmerados

26 Apr 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Alicia Chivers · Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution Barbara Piranty · Gloucestershire Rural Community Council Dan Mobbs · Mancroft Advice Project Dr Jude McCann · Farming Community Network Dr Rosie Allister · Vetlife James Russell · British Veterinary Association Karen Black · Off the Record Bristol Melanie Costas · Rural Mental Health Matters

15 Mar 2022

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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Dr David Rose · University of Reading Dr Rebecca Wheeler · Centre for Rural Policy Research (CRPR), University of Exeter Rachel Hutchings · Nuffield Trust Sarah Hughes · Centre for Mental Health

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health	HC 248	18 May 2023	31	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

8 results

10 Conclusion Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

DEFRA's prioritisation and resources for rural mental health policy remain unclear

Although DEFRA is clearly responsible for working with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to ensure mental health policy and services are rural proofed, it is unclear what priority, resources and energy DEFRA has assigned to achieving impact … Read more

Government Response

The government acknowledges the importance of rural proofing health policy and inter-departmental collaboration but rejects the idea of a joint Defra/DHSC rural mental health policy and delivery team, stating existing channels are more effective. It confirms the Rural Wellbeing Framework is not intended for measuring rural mental health and will not be used for that purpose, pointing instead to the roll-out of a Mental Health Impact Assessment Tool.

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11 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Establish a national working group and set targets to improve rural mental health outcomes

DEFRA has produced a welcome framework and associated guidance for rural proofing policy but, for instance, claimed close working with DHSC and NHSE 78 Rural Mental Health over the new 10-year cross-government Mental health and wellbeing plan has not so … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects the recommendation for a new joint DEFRA/DHSC rural mental health team and a national working group, preferring existing collaborative channels and a new Mental Health Impact Assessment Tool. It also rejects consulting on using the Rural Wellbeing Framework for measuring rural communities' mental health.

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15 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Open up NHS access for rural veterinary community, supporting flexible appointments and appropriate digital provision.

The NHS also needs to open-up access to the rural veterinary community to reflect restrictions on their ability to attend appointments, and support people who need to Rural Mental Health 79 continue practising. Better digital provision could improve service access … Read more

Government Response

The government highlights existing support initiatives for the veterinary profession but states there are no plans to commission a specific training programme for rural NHS staff. It promotes existing digital and remote access options for mental health services as beneficial for rural communities.

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17 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Issue call for evidence on ICS effectiveness for rural mental health services by March 2024.

We recommend the joint rural mental health policy and delivery team issue a call for evidence on the effectiveness of the ICS-model for providing rural communities with access to mental health services and publish its findings with proposals to address … Read more

Government Response

The government rejects launching a call for evidence or setting national targets related to the ICS model for rural mental health, stating it does not align with NHS England's new operating model of local accountability. It reiterates that work is already underway through ICSs and local public health teams.

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18 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Consult on proposals to expand preventative mental health support for rural children and young people.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) have been under intense pressure for many years, but a lack of alternative rural social infrastructure and a fall in support for youth services means CAMHS is often the “only show in town”. … Read more

Government Response

The government outlines its existing rollout for Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) but does not commit to expanding provision to 100% of rural schools by 2026/27. For Early Support Hubs, it has commissioned a longitudinal study but does not commit to establishing and funding them by 2024/25.

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19 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Identify farming and veterinary mental health as priorities and develop specific NHS staff training.

It is very important for the farming and veterinary communities to feel that their circumstances are understood by NHS staff when seeking to access, or receiving, support (otherwise this may work against help-seeking behaviours). Charities with specialist-knowledge can gain people’s … Read more

Government Response

The government recognizes the importance of mental health for farming and veterinary communities but explicitly rejects developing a work programme with specific measures and targets, citing misalignment with NHS England's operating model. It also states there are no plans to commission a specific training programme for rural NHS staff.

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24 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Establish dedicated funding stream for rural communities' mental health needs during crisis events.

We recommend that by the end of this year, 2023: a) DEFRA and DHSC, working with all relevant public health, environmental and first responder stakeholders, assess the readiness of local plans for crisis events, and commence consultations on upgrading local … Read more

Government Response

The government rejected the recommendation to establish a dedicated rural mental health funding stream, stating there are no such plans. While acknowledging the need for close planning and provision of support, the response did not commit to assessing the readiness of local plans or commencing consultations on upgrading preparedness as recommended.

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26 Recommendation Rejected

Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health

Fund and roll-out Mental Health First Aid training for front-line staff supporting farmers.

We hope that DEFRA’s attempt to reduce regulatory stress is a positive change in cultural practice. However, encouraging and investing in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training for people dealing with farmers is a pre-requisite to ensure they are skilled … Read more

Government Response

The government did not commit to prioritising mental health support as a key deliverable within the Farm Resilience Fund, instead noting its indirect positive impact and current signposting services. It rejected developing an implementation plan to fund and roll out Mental Health First Aid training, stating existing regulations allow employers to tailor first aid provisions rather than prescribing specific mental health training.

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Government Response AI assessment · 31 of 21 classified

Accepted 10

Accepted in Part 4

Acknowledged 7

Not Addressed 2

Rejected 8

Total 21 recs + 10 conclusions