Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing ongoing access to therapy for people with complex mental health needs.

We recognise the importance of providing ongoing access to therapy for people with complex mental health needs. The 10-Year Health Plan sets out our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service and the three big shifts needed in the system – analogue to digital, sickness to prevention and hospital to community.

As part of this, we are piloting neighbourhood mental health centres. These pilots aim to provide open access holistic care for anyone with a severe mental illness or complex mental health needs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, bringing together a range of community mental health services and other forms of relevant support under one roof, including crisis services and short-stay beds.

NHS England is also developing a Modern Service Framework which will focus on services for people with severe and enduring mental illness and services for people with complex emotional needs.