Context
Like all NHS organisations, we are striving to provide the best possible care within an increasingly challenging environment. Honesty and openness about the environment within which we are operating, and the challenges it presents, have been key factors in producing this strategy - we have to be realistic about what we are able to achieve in all aspects of our work.
We have considered all of the feedback, clinical evidence, data analysis and historical and contextual information that we have gathered in producing this strategy. One of the broadest, and most important, conclusions that we have reached is that our capacity to fully meet the needs of the population we serve is insufficient. This situation mirrors the national position and is generally accepted by organisations such as ours and the wider health and social care system.
Sadly, there remains an inequity of resource allocation when funding for mental health services is compared to that for physical health services.
A number of inequities also remain for people with mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity needs, including their access to services, their physical health and their life expectancy. Given this backdrop, our strategy seeks to identify those priority areas where we can bring our unique expertise and experience to deliver the greatest benefit.
Nationally, it is recognised that there is still an imbalance in the funding between mental illness and physical illness, based on the level of need that exists
1. British Medical Association (2023). Mental health services under extreme pressure.
2. The King's Fund (2023). Mental health funding in England: still falling short?
3. Royal College of Psychiatrists (2024). RCPsych criticises planned cut in mental health spending.
Context shaping our strategy
From meeting with a wide range of stakeholders, including people who use services, carers and staff, the following overarching themes emerged:
- Communication and the importance of building good connections
- Addressing gaps between services
- Improving transitions between services, particularly between services for younger people and those for adults
- Better signposting to services, support and resources
- Fewer hand-offs and lengthy referrals between services
- The importance of 'waiting well' - keeping people informed while they are waiting and signposting them to any other help and support that is available
- Taking a balanced approach between face-to-face support and the use of digital technology