MQ-appg3-COMPLETED (1)

Citation

Murray A, HELEN CLARK Chair of the Working Group, PHIL ROYAL APPG Secretariat, LISA ROBILLARD WEBB APPG Secretariat, LEA MILLIGAN MQ Mental Health Research, BRYONY DOUGHTY MQ Mental Health Research, DR KRISTY HOWELLS Canterbury Christ Church University, PROFESSOR KAMALDEEP BHUI CBE University of Oxford, VANESSA PINFOLD McPin Foundation, ANNA HODGSON Clear Sky Children’s Charity, CAROLINE PURVEY TRE UK, DR DAVID LOWE Leeds Beckett, PROFESSOR KEITH GODFREY MBE University of Southampton, MARY LUBRANO Association of Play Industries, Psychotherapy Society MMNC&, SHARON SMITH University of Northampton, PETER HAND Royal College of Psychiatrists, DR ALISON MURRAY University of Roehampton, DR PAMELA MURRAY University of Worcester, JOE LOWTHER KICK, British Neuroscience Association DLACE, SYGY COLLINS Rethink Mental Illness, Food and Nutrition Expert CGCO & JACK EDDY Mental health and wellbeing policy specialist (2023) MQ-appg3-COMPLETED (1). APPG in a Fit and Healthy Childhood. https://fhcappg.org.uk/?page_id=2171

Abstract
The scale of the impact that scrapping the 10-year mental health plan will have can only been seen as equal to the very scale of the problem it was meant to tackle! Today I along with colleagues from across politics, research, frontline services, lived experience and the NHS call for a response to the state of mental health and the urgent need for a comprehensive and effective 10-year Mental Health Plan in the UK. Our nation is facing a crisis, with a significant decline in mental well-being over the past decade. The prevalence of mental health disorders in both children and adults has reached alarming levels, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis has further exacerbated the situation. The blow that the scrapping of the long-anticipated 10-year mental health plan has landed, leaves us without a concrete roadmap for addressing the pressing mental health challenges we face. However, this void must be filled, and it is our responsibility to advocate for a robust and forward-thinking strategy. To this end, we have set out to comprehensively present the key recommendations for a 10-year Mental Health Plan that can serve as a blueprint for transformative change. These recommendations include prioritising prevention and increasing public awareness, facilitating early intervention and timely access to services, promoting integrated and holistic care, guaranteeing sustainable funding for research and services, growing the mental health workforce, and fostering dynamic collaboration among stakeholders. It is imperative that we address the inequalities and disparities that exist in mental health services across the devolved nations of the UK. Inadequate funding, variations in service provision, lack of integration, and limited access to culturally sensitive care have contributed to the existing inequities. These disparities have had a disproportionate impact on marginalised communities, exacerbating the mental health crisis further. While the Government beings the task of planning all over again, folding mental health into its new Long Term Conditions Plan, the Opposition have elevated mental health to become a core pillar of its ‘Health Mission’. i This Opposition Health Mission rightly considers the need for workforce growth, investment in life sciences and digital solutions and yet it rings oddly familiar to the Government’s Mental Health Missionii that pre-dates it and equally the Governments latest NHS Long A LETTER FROM LEA MILLIGAN CEO, MQ MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH Term Workforce Planiii seems to repeat the Oppositions boast of “investment” and “reform”. With a General Election looming we are in real danger of mental health becoming a political point scoring exercise instead of the cross-party strategy that we truly require! We must ensure that initiatives put forth by our leaders effectively address the root causes of the mental health crisis and provide comprehensive support to individuals in need, regardless of the changing winds of Government and Opposition. This report produced by experts across the field and with direct experience of mental ill health will outline the current state of mental health in the UK, the impact of austerity measures and lack of investment, and the urgent need for longterm planning and sustainable solutions. We will explore the recommendations put forward by experts and stakeholders, emphasising the importance of early intervention, equitable access, integrated care, and a whole-society approach. Recommendations for a 10-year Mental Health Plan Prioritising prevention and increasing public awareness Facilitating early intervention and timely access to services Promoting integrated, holistic services and addressing health inequalities Guaranteeing sustainable funding for research, mental health services and workforce development Growing the workforce and capacity building Partnership working and dynamic collaboration. Together, we can strive for a mental health system that supports every individual, eliminates stigma, and fosters resilience and well-being. I urge all parties across the United Kingdom to deliver a joint 10-year plan for mental health – move the issues out of the shadows of stigma, away from the pitfalls of politics and into its rightful place; at the heart of our nation’s needs.

Keywords
Mental health

People

Dr Alison Murray

Lecturer (Primary Ed.- Health&Wellbeing), Education