Last week the 'Five Year Forward View for Mental Health - one year on' was published to mark the anniversary of the publication of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. It highlights the progress made in the first year of the programme, and takes a look at the achievements that need to be built upon to deliver next year and beyond.
The impact of this focus on mental health is being seen through Sustainability and Transformation Plans, where increasingly local systems are not only rising to the challenge but also recognising the opportunity of investing in mental health to deliver a more sustainable health and care system. The report demonstrates the areas in which there are improved access to care and innovative service developments. You can find the full One Year On report here https://www.england.nhs.uk/storage/fyfv-mh-one-year-on.pdf
I will be writing about and sharing some of the key innovations and service developments within mental health services over the next two weeks - whilst it is acknowledged that this is the beginning of the journey we should celebrate the service improvements whilst 'continuing to press the unarguable gains from getting this right: gains for people who use services, their families and communities, and gains for the NHS itself in creating a more balanced, equal and sustainable future' Claire Murdoch National Mental Health Director