Centre for Mental Health

Our team will be taking a well-earned break over the holidays 🎄 You might still see some scheduled content, but our account will not be regularly monitored. If you're struggling over the festive period, please check out these organisations which can offer support 👇 or see the full list of helplines: https://lnkd.in/eXy354c2

❄️ Could you help us make a difference this Christmas? ❄️ Our work is having an impact across mental health policy and services - and changing lives as a result. Our partnership campaign led to a Government commitment to establish young people's mental health hubs. Our campaign for every person with severe mental illness to receive a physical health check means that many more now are. And by galvanising the mental health sector ahead of the General Election, we saw many political parties commit to take action for mental health in their manifestoes. As mental health declines in the UK, our work is needed more than ever. Could you stand with us this Christmas and into 2025? Please donate today: https://lnkd.in/d5bHq-yd

And its Published! #CareBeyondBeds What an epic team effort to get this important report and its co-designed vision statement out. I've spoken to so many incredible, compassionate and brave people during this research and I hope this honours your views and experiences. https://lnkd.in/g6cK7sks From a systems thinking perspective, this image represents a crucial intervention point: the need to provide, person-centred, flexible, early, and ongoing support for individuals facing mental health challenges. What stands out is the collective recognition across the diverse groups we interviewed including—clinical and non clinical views, people with lived experience, voluntary sector representatives, and others—of the importance of this approach and the on-going need to bring in more therapeutic, less traumatic care and earlier interventions that work with people experiencing mental health challenges. It was also about how budgets are used and there is clearly work to be done in relation to this #ParticipatoryBudgeting #ICBs It’s not as simple as choosing between inpatient care or alternatives; it’s about prioritising Crisis prevention- early and on-going support, ensuring sustainable investment in high-quality, localised care and bringing the voluntary sector into this as a sustainable and valued partner. What I have found really powerful about working on this report is the consistency of voices and perspectives within the Mental Health system, across sectors and agencies calling for the similar solutions. This is communicated in the co-designed vision and directional statements, which form a key part of this report, and provides a shared statement for said changes. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this research. Here’s hoping these recommendations and effective collaboration between sectors and agencies continues, and progress is made without delay! #CentreForMentalHealth Andy Bell David Woodhead PhD Julia Doyle Frederico C. Alethea Joshi (Cope) Holly Jones #SystemsThinking #Collaboration #CoDesign #NHSE #CareBeyondBeds

In 2024, our research has shone a light on mental health injustice and shown how we can build a mentally healthier nation. Watch the video for a snapshot of our impact in numbers 👇 From poverty and racial justice, to school absence and mental health in later life, we’ve explored a huge breadth of topics in our research this year.  We’ve been delighted to see our work having an impact around the country, and resonating with local providers as well as reaching policymakers in parliament. Through our networks, we’ve worked with passionate local champions nationwide to improve mental health in communities. Our IPS training has been helping to support many more people with mental health or substance use problems into paid work which supports their recovery. And through our wide-ranging blogs and podcast series, we’ve been providing a platform for people with lived experience and radical thinkers to make their voices heard. Our research is carving a path to a mentally healthier future. But we need your support to keep that going in 2025 👇 Donate today to help us bring an end to mental health injustice: https://lnkd.in/d5bHq-yd Find out more about our impact this year: https://lnkd.in/eA6NGdsT #MentalHealth #Impact #2024 #MentalHealthResearch

The Government risks missing an opportunity to make good on its promises by leaving out a crucial ingredient from its plans: mental health. Proposals for raising living standards, boosting health and getting more people into employment have been set out. But without action for mental health, these plans will fail to shift the dial. It's not too late for ministers to take the opportunity to build a mentally healthier nation, writes Andy Bell.

A radical overhaul of inpatient mental health care is needed so that everyone can get compassionate, therapeutic support close to home in a mental health crisis. How can we make this happen? Anna Iskander-Reynolds and Andy Bell explain what the research told us 👇

Incredibly grateful to Andy Bell Centre for Mental Health colleagues for producing this vision for the future of MH services 👏🏻👏🏻

A lack of early intervention and limited community support leads many people struggling with their mental health to be funnelled towards the more acute end of the system. This is causing further distress and higher costs. Drawing on research with people with lived experience, as well as clinicians and system leaders, our new report explores how inpatient services could be part of a more holistic system of mental health support that provides care for people quickly, compassionately, and close to home. This vision involves shifting mental health care from hospitals to communities, through support offers like crisis houses and cafes, peer support, and crisis planning interventions. Our research shows that small-scale, incremental improvement to inpatient care will not be enough to create the systemic change needed. A radical overhaul of the system is required to reduce trauma and provide person-centred care pathways. With proper investment as part of the NHS ten-year plan, integrated care boards have the power to build better systems of support that will reduce reliance on hospital beds, taking the pressure off local inpatient services and making out-of-area placements unnecessary. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/e77Ud9wi #CareBeyondBeds #InpatientServices #MentalHealth #MentalHealthServices

Inpatient care should be part of a holistic system of support that seeks to provide care in a mental health crisis quickly and compassionately. But too often, it's characterised by unsafe levels of bed occupancy, chronic staffing shortages and dilapidated facilities which risk re-traumatising patients. Drawing on research with people with lived experience, clinicians and system leaders, we've been exploring how an overhaul of the mental health system – and comprehensive investment in alternatives to inpatient care – could enable more people to get effective care closer to home. Read the full report 👇 or download: https://lnkd.in/e77Ud9wi #MentalHealth #MentalHealthServices #InpatientServices

At its best, inpatient care is part of a comprehensive system of support that offers care quickly and compassionately, close to home. But too often, it can be characterised by overcrowding, short-staffing and dilapidated facilities. How do we reorientate inpatient mental health care so that it meets people's needs closer to home, in settings that are more therapeutic and accessible? 👀 Keep a look out for our new report tomorrow where we'll be exploring this in more detail. #CareBeyondBeds