Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of move-on capacity for patients with mental health issues who need support to continue to make progress with their recovery after a period of intensive hospital support; if he will make it his policy to increase that capacity; and if he will make a statement.

We have not made a formal assessment. We recognise that additional support is required to help people with mental health issues and who are well enough to leave hospital and recover in the community. In November 2020, we published our Wellbeing and Mental Health Support Plan for COVID-19, with £50 million to boost capacity and support good quality discharge from mental health inpatient settings, help reduce pressures on inpatient beds and keep patients safe during the winter months.

In March 2021, the Department published the COVID-19 Mental Health Recovery Action Plan which set out an additional £87 million in 2021/22 to provide additional support for mental health patients leaving hospital, such as a temporary place to live or care in their homes.