Select Committee · Health and Social Care Committee

Community Mental Health Services

Status: Open Opened: 17 Dec 2024 30 recommendations 2 conclusions 1 report

The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into community mental health services. The inquiry will examine what good looks like from the perspective of service users and their families/carers. The Committee would like the inquiry to shine a light on case studies of innovative practice and high-quality care across the country, and to undertake meaningful and … Show more

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Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report - Community Mental Health Services HC 566 2 Dec 2025 32 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
1 Recommendation 4th Report - Community Mental Health Se… Accepted

Severity gap reveals unacceptable failing in timely access to mental health care

Timely access to mental health care is not just a matter of convenience— it is a matter of safety, dignity, and equity. Delays in care can lead to preventable crises, greater distress, poorer outcomes, and higher costs to the system. The severity gap, where people fall between high and low … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts, committing to embedding the voice of people with lived experience in person-centred care delivery. They highlight community-based mental health centres as an example where experts by experience co-produce models to ensure high-quality, timely care, not just at crisis points.
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Department of Health and Social Care
23 Recommendation 4th Report - Community Mental Health Se… Accepted

Support ICBs to adopt multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations delivering community mental health services.

The Department and NHE England should support ICBs to move away from short-term commissioning cycles to multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations supporting the delivery of CMHS. The publication of the Strategic Commissioning Framework presents an opportunity to enable the bold action needed by ICBs to harness the value and potential … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, acknowledging the importance of multi-year contracts for VCFSE organisations and noting the NHS medium-term planning framework facilitates this. A strategic commissioning development programme will provide practical support to ICBs during 2026-2027 to strengthen commissioning skills.
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Department of Health and Social Care
25 Recommendation 4th Report - Community Mental Health Se… Accepted

Support neighbourhood pilot sites to address digital interoperability challenges and share best practice.

In order for the neighbourhood pilots to realise the potential of the innovative model of care they are trialling, the Government should support the pilot sites to address challenges with digital interoperability, for example through sharing of learning and best practise. These learnings should then be collated to support future … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating NHS England is working with pilot sites to identify digital interoperability barriers and share learning. Insights from these pilots will be collated to inform future guidance and support the implementation of neighbourhood-based models of care if scaled up.
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Department of Health and Social Care
32 Recommendation 4th Report - Community Mental Health Se… Accepted

Set out proposals to strengthen mental health system accountability, including Race Equality Framework implementation.

The sector has called for a Mental Health Commissioner to address concerns about a lack of accountability across the mental health system. The Government has said it does not want to take this approach. We ask it to set out proposals to strengthen accountability, including for implementing the Patient and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation, outlining that its new approach to mental health will strengthen accountability with clearer standards and transparency. It confirms the Patient and Carer Race Equality Framework is now a contractual requirement, with NHS England supporting its full implementation, and promises further …
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Department of Health and Social Care

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
10 Sep 2025 Caroline Allnutt · Department of Health and Social Care, Gareth Harry · NHS England, The Baroness Merron · Department of Health and Social Care View ↗
21 May 2025 Darlington Kudakwashe Zvionere · Black Minds Matter UK, Janine Smith · Navigo Health and Social Care CIC, Karyn Kirkpatrick · KeyRing Living Support Networks, Michael Crilly · Social Health & Community Inclusion at Life Rooms (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust), Mr Abdirahim Hassan · Coffee Afrik CIC, Mr Jake Mills · Chasing the Stigma, Professor Belinda Lennox · University of Oxford, Professor Stephen Pilling · University College London View ↗
23 Apr 2025 Christian Taylor, Christina Taylor, Councillor Lorraine Francis · Bristol City Council, Duncan Tree · Association of Mental Health Providers, Penny East · Think Ahead, Peter Devlin · Essex County Council, Stephen Parker · Turning Point View ↗
12 Mar 2025 Dr Emma Tiffin · Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board, Dr Lade Smith CBE · Royal College of Psychiatrists, Elizabeth Sutton, Eve Mair, Jane Yeandle · Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, Rt Hon Sir Norman Lamb · South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Samantha Allen · North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Steve Forsyth · Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust View ↗
12 Feb 2025 Chris Frederick, Dr Courtney Buckler · National Survivor User Network, Francesca, Harry Dyson · The McPin Foundation, Ian Callaghan, Lucy Schonegevel · Rethink Mental Illness, Miss Kadra Abdinasir · Centre for Mental Health View ↗

Who gave evidence

33 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Caroline Allnutt · Deputy Director for Serious Mental Illness and Of… Department of Health and Social Care 1
Chris Frederick 1
Christian Taylor 1
Christina Taylor 1
Councillor Lorraine Francis · Chair of the Adult Social Care Committee Bristol City Council 1
Darlington Kudakwashe Zvionere · Head of Clinical Services Black Minds Matter UK 1
Dr Courtney Buckler · Senior Policy and Campaigns Manager National Survivor User Network 1
Dr Emma Tiffin · National GP Advisor Community and Primary Care, A… Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board 1
Dr Lade Smith CBE · President Royal College of Psychiatrists 1
Duncan Tree · Director of Strategy and Relationships Association of Mental Health Providers 1
Elizabeth Sutton 1
Eve Mair 1
Francesca 1
Gareth Harry · Director of Delivery, Mental Health Learning Disa… NHS England 1
Harry Dyson · Peer Researcher and Public Involvement Officer The McPin Foundation 1
Ian Callaghan 1
Jane Yeandle · Service Group Director Mental Health and Learning… Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 1
Janine Smith · Chief Operating Officer Navigo Health and Social Care CIC 1
Karyn Kirkpatrick · Chief Executive Officer, Central Services KeyRing Living Support Networks 1
Lucy Schonegevel · Director of Policy and Practice Rethink Mental Illness 1
Michael Crilly · Director Social Health & Community Inclusion at Life Rooms (Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust) 1
Miss Kadra Abdinasir · Associate Director of Policy Centre for Mental Health 1
Mr Abdirahim Hassan · Founder Coffee Afrik CIC 1
Mr Jake Mills · CEO and Founder Chasing the Stigma 1
Penny East · External Relations Director Think Ahead 1
Peter Devlin · Director of Adult Social Care and Mental Health Essex County Council 1
Professor Belinda Lennox · Professor of Psychiatry University of Oxford 1
Professor Stephen Pilling · Professor of Clinical Psychology and Clinical Eff… University College London 1
Rt Hon Sir Norman Lamb · Chair South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 1
Samantha Allen · Chief Executive North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board 1
Stephen Parker · National Head of Service for Mental Health Turning Point 1
Steve Forsyth · Chief Nursing Officer Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust 1
The Baroness Merron · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patien… Department of Health and Social Care 1

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
19 Mar 2026 Correspondence from DHSC - Mental Health Expected Spend
19 Mar 2026 Correspondence from DHSC SofS - Mental Health Expected Spend
12 Nov 2025 Correspondence from Baroness Merron re Follow up on 10 September session