Background to the National Mental Health Development Unit
The Department of Health (DH), with input from Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), the NHS Confederation, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and the National institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE), has conducted a review of future arrangements to support the delivery of mental health policy. As the National Service Framework for Mental Health comes to an end in 2009 and with other emerging policy priorities identified via the New Horizons programme, the review looked at how support should be delivered over the next three years in the context of the NHS Next Stage Review and Putting People First.
Commissioned by David Behan, Director General, Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships, the review recommended that while the DH will continue to lead on national mental health policy development, and SHAs focus on supporting regional and local delivery, future approaches to policy development and its implementation should be based on the principle of co-production between the DH, NHS, and other key stakeholders.
There was also a consensus that specific central support for mental health policy implementation remains necessary in some circumstances, and that this should be the remit of a small, new organisation to replace the national component of NIMHE. This would build on NIMHE’s successes, but operate in a manner more suited to a post-NSF and post-Darzi era, with NIMHE’s former regional resources being focused on supporting local delivery under the direction of the SHAs.
Therefore, a new unit is being established to provide national support to implementing mental health policy. Operating as the National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU), it will support both DH and the SHAs by advising on national and international best practice to improve mental health services and mental health. It will do this by commissioning or providing:
- specialist expertise in priority areas of policy and delivery
- effective knowledge transfer on research, evidence and good practice
- support to translate national policies into practical deliverables which achieve the right outcomes
- coordination of national activity to help regional and local implementation.
Former NIMHE Director Dr Ian McPherson will lead the NMHDU which will become fully operational from April 2009. Its’ initial priorities will include:
- Continued support for the implementation of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), and Delivering Race Equality, (DRE) programmes.
- Sustaining expertise in World Class Mental Health Commissioning, Social Inclusion and Social Justice, Wellbeing and Public Mental Health, Age and Gender Equalities, and Improving Mental Health Care Pathways.
New Horizons will shape the future mental health policy agenda. The work of the NMHDU will be developed through a process of co-production between DH and SHAs, and active partnerships with other national stakeholders, including the NHS Confederation, ADASS and the major mental health organisations in the third sector. The NMHDU will report to an Oversight Board co-chaired by Kathryn Tyson, Director, and a senior SHA representative (to be confirmed).