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 the potential implications for its policies of the report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists entitled Co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, published on 13 May 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting more cohesive and joined-up care between mental health services and substance use services, to ensure people no longer fall through the gaps of treatment.

We know that, between 2023 and 2024, 72% of people starting drug and alcohol treatment also had a mental health treatment need. Furthermore, approximately 30 to 50% of people with serious mental illness have co-existing drug or alcohol use conditions. However, as the Royal College of Psychiatry’s report highlights, too often, people with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs do not receive the joined up, person-centred care they require and deserve.

In response to this, the Department and NHS England are finalising the Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Action Plan. In developing this plan, NHS England and the Department have worked with subject matter experts, including people with lived experience, academics, clinicians, and service providers, to set out a path to improving service provision for those with co-occurring substance use and mental health needs.

The action plan will build on current structures and initiatives such the Commissioning Quality Standard published in 2022. This standard provides guidance for drug and alcohol treatment commissioners on improving services for people with co-occurring mental health and alcohol or drug conditions and how local services need to work together so that people can access the help they need.