Difficulties Accessing Basic Mental Health Services in Wales & England

Today, the MPs from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health launch the report of their investigation into the implementation of the recent NICE Guideline on treatment of schizophrenia.

The Group took up this issue following responses to parliamentary questions, which revealed that implementation was the responsibility of individual NHS organisations and progress was not monitored centrally.

The Report’s Key Findings:

• Serious challenges to the delivery of psychological services, particularly CBT, to all service users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, as called for by the Guideline
• Lack of focus on the requirements for more comprehensive services such as assistance with employment and partnerships with relevant local organisations
• Confusion and difficulties in providing improved physical health screening for service users with a diagnosis of schizophrenia
• Inconsistency in the services provided across Trusts and the potential for sharing of good practice in areas such as monitoring adherence to medication

The report highlights the difficulties mental health service users face in accessing what should be basic treatment and the importance in maintaining the growth in funding for mental health services.   The report is based on responses from over half of the mental health trusts in England and Wales.

A copy of the report can be obtained at: www.appg-mentalhealth.org.uk/appgmh-news.html