Five Year Forward View for Mental HealthThis independent report of the Mental Health Taskforce sets out a strategic approach to improving mental health outcomes across the health and care system, in partnership with the health arm’s length bodies. It prioritises prevention, access, integration, quality and a positive experience of care. Read more »
Distinctive, Valued, Personal: Why Social Care Matters – The Next Five YearsThis discussion paper, published by the Association of Adult Directors of Social Services, that outlines the developmental steps needed to be taken immediately after the General Election in order to ensure a safe, secure and personalised care and health system for older and disabled people. Read more »
Preventing suicide: A global imperativeThis report published by the World Health Organisation aims to increase awareness of the public health significance of suicide and suicide attempts and to strengthen comprehensive suicide prevention strategies. Read more »
Safer Care Pathways in Mental Health Project aims to make mental health care pathways safer and more reliable for service users and their families. It is one of ten projects in the national ‘Closing the Gap in Patient Safety’ programme, funded by the Health Foundation. Read more »
Lester UK Adaption 2014This clinical resource, named in honour of the late Professor Helen Lester, provides a simple framework for identifying and treating cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risks in patients with psychosis receiving antipsychotic medication. Read more »
Improving mental health outcomes in the East of EnglandThis project aims to implement learning from a Detroit based suicide prevention initiative, led by Dr Ed Coffey, Henry Ford Health System, into mental health practice in the East of England. Read more »
Rise in out-of-area placementsFindings from a joint investigation by Community Care magazine and the BBC News show that NHS mental health trusts are sending a growing number of people to out-of-area hospitals as demand for in-patient care outstrips local bed capacity. Read more »
North Region Parity of Esteem event presentationsThis post provides access to the presentations from the North Region Parity of Esteem event held on 1st April 2014. Read more »
Closing the Gap: priorities for essential change in mental healthThis document sets out 25 priorities for improving the planning and delivery of local mental health services and thereby improve the lives of people with mental health problems in the next 2 or 3 years. Read more »
Doc ReadyDoc Ready is an app to help young people feel more confident and get better results when they see their GP about a mental health issue. Read more »
A fresh start for the regulation and inspection of mental health servicesThis report outlines changes in the way the Care Quality Commission regulate, inspect, and monitor specialist mental health services. Read more »
Our ambition to reduce premature mortalityThis resource published by NHS England aims to support NHS commissioners in setting a level of ambition on reducing potential years of life lost (PYLL) from causes amenable to healthcare. Read more »
Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2014/15 to 2018/19This planning guidance published by NHS England outlines a framework within which commissioners will need to work with providers and partners in local government to develop strong, robust and ambitious five year plans to secure the continuity of sustainable high quality care for all. Read more »
Winterbourne View: transforming care one year onThe report provides a review of progress in improving the quality of care for vulnerable people, following abuse of residents at Winterbourne View hospital. Read more »
Mental health dashboardThe mental health dashboard brings together information from a wide range of sources. It shows progress against objectives in the ‘No health without mental health strategy’ and gives a clear, concise picture of mental health outcomes. Read more »
NHS England rolls out new personal health budget sitesSeven new demonstrator sites have been set up to look at rolling out personal health budgets to people who use mental health services. Read more »
NHS leaders call to close mental illness ‘mortality gap’A recent Guardian Society article asserts that NHS leaders are calling on those who are commissioning services to help close the “shocking mortality gap” that sees people with mental illness have life expectancies about 10 years shorter than the population as a whole. Read more »
Parity of esteemWriting in a recent blog post, Dr Martin McShane Director for Long Term Conditions, NHS England, asserts that the disparity in approach between people with physical and mental health problems is inequitable and unfair. Read more »
NHS Mandate 2014 to 2015The NHS Mandate between the government and NHS England sets out the ambitions for the health service. Read more »
Adult Social Care Outcomes websiteThis website enables visitors to find out how local authorities are performing against the outcome measures set out in the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework. Read more »