Value for Money
Progress in improving mental health services in England
Published 9 February 2023
5 recommendations
Department of Health and Social Care
Health and social careNHS
nao.org.uk
Despite funding and staffing levels for mental health services increasing, and more patients being treated, millions of people with mental health needs are still not accessing services, with some facing lengthy waits for treatment, according to a new National Audit Office report.
Recommendations (5)
Source: NAO Recommendations Tracker · PAC follow-up below
Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement
Rec 1
Accepted
Implemented
a) DHSC and NHSE should publish a detailed statement of what achieving full 'parity of esteem' between mental and physical health services encompasses, in terms of access and service standards, staffing model and funding allocations, and the road map for national bodies, ICBs and local providers to achieve it.
Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement
Rec 2
Accepted
Implemented
b) Either separately or as a distinct part of the overall NHS workforce plan due in 2023, DHSC and NHSE should publish a longer-term mental health workforce recruitment and retention strategy and a costed plan, that reflects the volume and skills required to meet future service ambitions. They will need to engage closely with HM Treasury in this process. The strategy should include how they will work with ICBs on local workforce development, recruitment and retention.
Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement
Rec 3
Accepted
Work in Progress
c) NHSE, working with local ICBs and providers, should improve its data and analysis to better understand the relative cost and cost-effectiveness of different services, and provide a more robust basis to decide future priorities.
Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement
Rec 4
Accepted
Implemented
d) NHSE, working with ICBs, should develop and issue guidance in 2023 on how the system will gain more transparency over capacity, activity, performance and outcomes in community mental health services, including improvements required to implement the proposed new clinical standards, as well as mental-health- related capacity and activity in primary care.
Department of Health and Social Care; NHS England and NHS Improvement
Rec 5
Accepted
Work in Progress
e) As mental health services will need to remain the focus of sustained improvement and in the light of national and local reorganisation of health bodies, DHSC and NHSE should set out the future approach to leading, monitoring and assuring oversight of mental health service expansion and improvement. This should include how they ensure that ICBs and NHS providers have sustainable plans for workforce and service models in the short to medium term.
Parliamentary Committee Follow-Up
The Public Accounts Committee examined this NAO report and published its own recommendations. The government responds to PAC recommendations via Treasury Minutes.
Sixty-Fifth Report - Progress in improving NHS mental health services
Public Accounts Committee
· 21 July 2023
· 12 recommendations