Mental Health Services

(asked on 1st December 2014) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the availability of beds for mental health patients; and whether they have any plans to tackle any shortage.


Answered by
Earl Howe Portrait
Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
This question was answered on 15th December 2014

There has been a managed move over the last decade from an over dependence on inpatient services towards a comprehensive, community-based service, including Crisis Resolution Teams and Home Treatment Teams.

This means a shift in resources from inpatient care towards recovery-focused, community based services where the emphasis is on targeted, timely intervention to prevent crisis, or manage crises closer to home.

However, the Government has made it clear that beds must always be available for those who need them.

The Government’s 2014-15 Mandate to NHS England states that every community must develop plans to ensure no-one in mental health crisis will be turned away.

In February 2014 we published the mental health Crisis Care Concordat, which describes the roles and responsibilities of public services for improving outcomes for people experiencing a crisis.

This makes it clear that local commissioners should commission a range of mental health services that allows beds to be available for a person in urgent need. Local areas are expected to commit to and agree to deliver their own ‘Mental Health Crisis Declaration’.

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