Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that examples of best practice in care and support for people with mental health conditions is shared across the country.

The Department works with its arm’s length bodies and a wide range of other Government departments and bodies, including non-statutory organisations and professional bodies to pilot, develop, implement and share best practice in the care and support for people with mental health conditions. Best practice is shared through the gov.uk website, through guidance and engagement with our stakeholders and collaboration with the organisations mentioned above to share best practice through their resources.

The Department funds a wide-range of healthcare research including through the National Institute for Healthcare Research programme. Findings and outcomes from this research are published.

Referral to treatment guidelines have been developed with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, which include best practice examples. In addition, for Children and Young People, mental health investment has been made in clinical network capacity to bring local areas together to share current practice and there is regular interaction with the clinical networks, so good practice can be shared between regions. These guidelines are published on the National Collaborating Centre for Mental health’s website:

http://www.nccmh.org.uk/ab_cgs_at_a_glance.html