Mental Health

Mental Health is a key focus for the Government and politicians alike, the Mental Health Strategy “No Health without Mental Health”, published in 2011 is a cross government mental health outcome strategy for people of all ages.

This document set out the long term ambition for the transformation of mental health care and the way that people with mental health problems are supported in society as a whole.

No Health without Mental Health objectives

The strategy was built around six objectives:

• More people will have good mental health
• More people with mental health problems will recover
• More people with mental health problems will have good physical health
• More people will have a positive experience of care and support
• Fewer people will suffer avoidable harm
• Fewer people will experience stigma and discrimination.

This strategy was further enforced by a number of policy documents that have been published since such as “Closing the Gap” (PDF) an implementation guide, and pilots such as the Street Triage and most recently by the Crisis Care Concordat (further information regarding both these elements and can be found in other sections of the MHDN network pages).

Mental Health facts and figures

• At least one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life and one in six adults has a mental health problem at any one time.
• One in ten children aged between 5 and 16 years has a mental health problem, and many continue to have mental health problems into adulthood.
• Half of those with lifetime mental health problems first experience symptoms by the age of 14 and three-quarters before their mid-20s.
• Self-harming in young people is not uncommon (10–13% of 15–16-year-olds have self-harmed).9
• Almost half of all adults will experience at least one episode of depression during their lifetime.
• One in ten new mothers experiences postnatal depression.
• About one in 100 people has a severe mental health problem.
• Some 60% of adults living in hostels have a personality disorder.
• Some 90% of all prisoners are estimated to have a diagnosable mental health problem (including personality disorder) and/or a substance misuse problem.

The launch of the Strategic Clinical Networks in April 2013, and the recruitment of national clinical directors, Dr Geraldine Strathdee for Mental Health, added a greater focus on the importance of transforming mental health care. Our work plan identifies the programmes of work that we are involved in and how we are taking the mental health agenda forward.