Mental health

Field testing

To help NHS leaders to better understand the impact of the new standards in the context of efforts to deliver more care quicker and closer to home. The following trusts tested different aspects of the proposed new standards for urgent and emergency mental health care:

  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
  • Central North West London
  • East London
  • Livewell South West
  • Northamptonshire Healthcare
  • Nottinghamshire Healthcare
  • Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber
  • South West Yorkshire
  • Surrey and Borders, and Berkshire
  • Tees, Esk and Wear Valley
  • West London

As described above, these trusts worked with their neighbouring hospital trusts who participated in the testing of proposed new A&E standards.

A further 12 areas of the country have piloted the four-week waiting time standard for children and young people’s community Mental Health Support Teams.

These are:

  • Bromley
  • Buckinghamshire
  • Camden
  • Doncaster and Rotherham
  • Gloucestershire
  • Greater Manchester
  • Haringey
  • Northumberland
  • Oxfordshire
  • South Warwickshire
  • Stoke on Trent and North Staffordshire
  • Tower Hamlets

Within a further 12 local health and care systems, new models of integrated primary and community mental health care for adults and older adults have been tested, along with four week waiting times.

These areas are:

  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough STP
  • Cheshire and Merseyside STP
  • Frimley Health and Care ICS
  • Herefordshire and Worcestershire STP
  • Hertfordshire and West Essex STP
  • Humber, Coast and Vale Health and Care Partnership
  • Lincolnshire STP
  • North East London STP
  • North West London STP
  • Somerset STP
  • South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw ICS
  • Surrey Heartlands Health and Care Partnership

Further information is available on the Community Mental Health Services webpage.

Reporting progress

The proposed recommendations from the clinically-led review of NHS access standards for mental health, supported by key clinical groups, patient groups and hospital leaders, was set out in the clinically led review of standards: Models of care and measurement report.

The mental health proposals were developed with service users, families and clinicians to help improve patient experience and health outcomes. The recommended additional standards for accessing support in the community and in a crisis for people of all ages have been tested and refined further with local healthcare systems.

A consultation on the proposed recommendations ran from 22 July 2021 until 1 September 2021 and covered:

  • Community based mental health crisis services (all ages)
  • For mental health needs in an emergency department (all ages)
  • For non-urgent, community mental health care.