Mind reacts to new mental health strategy
Speaking in response to the Department for Health and Social Care's announcement of a new cross-government Mental Health Strategy for England and Call for Evidence
Dr Sarah Hughes, Chief Executive of Mind, said:
"Plans for a new 10-year, cross-government mental health strategy are an important and overdue acknowledgement of the growing pressures facing both the nation’s mental health and the services supporting people every day. But this cannot simply be another plan built around managing crisis. It must be a catalyst for genuine transformation.
"For too long, people have faced unacceptable waits for support, often only receiving help once they are seriously unwell and in crisis. A decade from now, we cannot still be talking about a system that is overstretched, reactive and struggling to meet demand. We need a future-focused mental health system that intervenes earlier, responds faster, and delivers high-quality support that reflects the complexity of people’s lives.
"Real transformation also means recognising that mental health is shaped far beyond the NHS. Poverty, insecure housing, inequality, discrimination, debt and isolation are all having a profound impact on people’s wellbeing. If this strategy is to succeed, it must match investment in services with bold action across government to address the root causes of poor mental health.
"This is a rare opportunity to fundamentally reshape how we think about mental health in this country — not simply treating illness, but building a healthier, fairer and more compassionate society where fewer people reach crisis in the first place."
Mind is a member of the Future Minds campaign and Head On coalition, representing over 20 leading mental health organisations.
The following statement was issued by the coalition in response to the government's announcement:
“This is a hugely important moment. Mental ill health affects millions of people and families across the UK, with as many as one in five young people facing poor mental health. A 10-year, cross-government strategy signals a shift that the mental health sector has been calling for, and rightly recognises that prevention, early intervention and crisis care must be part of a coherent whole.
“75% of mental health problems are established by age 24. This strategy provides an opportunity to establish children and young people’s mental health as a national policy priority, reducing the treatment gap facing children and young people and ultimately bringing down mental health need by supporting children and young people earlier and better.
“Our campaigns exist to raise mental health up the policy agenda, prioritise children’s mental health, and tackle the crisis head on. Together, we welcome this renewed focus from government and the opportunity to shape what that action looks like. To succeed, this must reach beyond the health system, addressing the social and economic conditions that shape mental health and delivering a genuinely joined-up plan across government.”
