Mental health services improving across Wales

A report published today paints a picture of improving mental health services in Wales.

The report, which looks at progress made so far against the aims of the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010, shows more local mental health services are now available and that care is being planned much more around the needs of the individual.

The Mental Health (Wales) Measure is a unique piece of legislation designed to provide a legal framework to improve mental health services in Wales.

Its aims include making sure more services are available locally to people to with mental health problems such as anxiety or depression, and ensuring that people with mental health problems requiring hospital treatment are assigned a care co-ordinator and have a care and treatment plan.

Since the Measure came into force in 2012, the majority (89.9%) of people who require one have a care and treatment plan in place, and there has been an increase in the number of services available to people locally, such as open access courses and groups providing support.

The report also shows waiting times for assessment have improved, so much so that the target has been reduced from the previous target of 56 days for referral to assessment, to 28 days (October 2013). The current number of local primary mental health practitioners per 20,000 of population is has increased to 1.96 and is almost double the suggested ratio of 1 per 20,000.  

In addition, all health boards have arrangements in place to provide an advocate to support every individual admitted to hospital with a mental health issue. This is seen as a very positive development by organisations and individuals, with 97% of those who responded to a Mind Cymru survey saying their experience of advocacy as excellent or mostly good.

Health Minister Mark Drakeford said: “With one in four people experiencing mental ill health at some point in their lifetime, it is essential that services are accessible at local level.

“Wales is the only UK country to place a legal duty on health boards and local authorities around the assessment and treatment of mental health problems.

“It is important we take stock of progress to date, and I am pleased this interim report shows there have already been significant improvements to services, and therefore to the lives of people needing to access them.

“Patient feedback is key if we are to succeed in providing services tailored to the individual. Early surveys show that 94 per cent of people accessing the new local primary mental health services rate them positively.

“We must now build on the good progress made to bring about further improvement, for example towards achieving our target that 90 per cent of people requiring intervention are seen within 56 days.

“I am very grateful to those involved in implementing this important legislation, within the NHS and voluntary sector. Today’s report shows their efforts really are making a difference.”

Bill Walden-Jones, Chief Executive of Hafal, said: “Hafal’s Members – people with a serious mental illness and their families – strongly support the new mental health legislation in Wales and we are delighted to see that this report shows implementation is on track.

“The Measure, unique to Wales, provides legal rights to patients which make a real difference – rights to an holistic care and treatment plan, rights to advocacy, and rights to get back into services when things go wrong.  The Welsh Government developed effective legislation because it listened to patients and families.

“Wales should be proud of its mental health legislation which makes it a world leader in supporting vulnerable people on their pathway to recovery and social integration.”

A final report will be published before January 2016.