Key Summary
- The government invited views on how to transform mental health care for children and adults in England.
- It is part of the 10 Year Health Plan commitment to give mental health the attention it deserves.
- Around 1 in 5 people are now affected by a common mental health condition.
The government invited frontline workers, clinicians and mental health experts on Friday (15) to share their views on how to transform mental health care for children and adults in England.
It is part of the call for evidence launched during Mental Health Awareness Week.
The strategy will drive a fundamental shift towards prevention and giving timely treatment to patients.
It also aims to support those with mental health conditions to live a full life and stay active in education, work, family life, and their communities.
Mental health services have been in demand, especially among children and young people. Around one in five people are now affected by a common mental health condition. The waiting time for patients has increased.
It is being treated as a priority to resolve the issues around mental health services and is a part of NHS’s 10 Year Health Plan.
The government has already hit its target to hire 8,500 extra mental health workers 3 years ahead of schedule.
This year, NHS mental health spending is forecast to reach a record £16.1 billion, a real-terms increase of £140 million compared to last year.
On top of this, the government is making £473 million available over the next 4 years for mental health emergency departments, community-based mental health centres and wider capital projects, accelerating the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and colleges and expanding community‑based support via Early Support and Young Futures Hubs.
But despite these, the current system remains reactive, fragmented and inconsistent. Support varies based on the location, and too often people only get help when they reach crisis point.
The strategy will also look beyond clinical settings to consider the role of schools, workplaces, the voluntary sector and local government in promoting positive mental health, moving from a system that first and foremost seeks to diagnose patients, to one that asks what support people need to live better.
It will also respond to forthcoming recommendations from the independent review into mental health, ADHD and autism, chaired by eminent psychoanalyst and clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy.
The call for evidence opens today and will remain open for 8 weeks, closing on 10 July 2026.
