Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to reduce waiting times for access to mental health services in (a) the South East, (b) Kent and (c) Medway.

There are national waiting time standards for early intervention in psychosis and Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. By 2020, local areas will also be expected to ensure that 95% of children and young people with eating disorders are seen within four weeks, with a one week target for urgent cases.

At a national level, we are exceeding our waiting time standards on early intervention in psychosis and improving access to psychological therapies. We are also on track to meet our eating disorder waiting time target by 2020.

2018/19 Planning Guidance establishes clear expectations for what all commissioners and providers, including those in Kent and Medway, need to deliver. This is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/refreshing-nhs-plans-for-2018-19/

Details of clinical commissioning group performance against key waiting time standards are available in NHS England’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health dashboard. This is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/mental-health/taskforce/imp/mh-dashboard/