Recommendations & Conclusions
11 items
5
Conclusion
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
Services shaped and delivered with, and by, people with lived experience of mental illness are more trusted, accessible, and effective. Meaningful co-production—where power is shared and lived experience is valued—is essential to high-quality care. Peer support, in particular, is a vital part of recovery both for service users and peer …
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Services shaped and delivered with, and by, people with lived experience of mental illness are more trusted, accessible, and effective. Meaningful co-production—where power is shared and lived experience is valued—is essential to high-quality care. Peer support, in particular, is a vital part of recovery both for service users and peer support workers, offering connection, understanding, and dignity in ways that clinical services often cannot. (Conclusion, Paragraph 59)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but then discusses a plan for scaling up community-based mental health centres following evaluation of pilots, which is unrelated to the committee's conclusion on the value of co-production and peer support.
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Department of Health and Social Care
8
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
We recommend that the Government changes its current approach and commission an independent and comprehensive evaluation of how the Community Mental Health Framework has been implemented and its impact by the end of the financial year. This should not be seen as drawing a line under the Framework, but as …
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We recommend that the Government changes its current approach and commission an independent and comprehensive evaluation of how the Community Mental Health Framework has been implemented and its impact by the end of the financial year. This should not be seen as drawing a line under the Framework, but as a necessary step in ensuring that the Government and NHS England deliver on its commitment of integrated, personalised, and coordinated care. Without such evaluation, there is a risk that gaps in implementation will persist and that future transformation efforts will lack the insight and learnings needed to succeed in all areas of the country. (Recommendation, Paragraph 74)
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Government response AI summary
The government states it accepts the recommendation, but its response describes NHS England publishing new guidance on a 'personalised care framework' and the role of a 'named worker' within multidisciplinary teams. It does not address the specific recommendation to commission an independent and comprehensive evaluation …
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Department of Health and Social Care
10
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
We believe there should be a 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre in every community. (Recommendation, Paragraph 92)
Government response AI summary
The government states it partially accepts, but its response discusses improving access and waiting time standards for mental health services generally, and eliminating long waits for children and young people's community services by 2026-27. It does not address the specific recommendation for a 24/7 Neighbourhood …
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Department of Health and Social Care
11
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
The design of these centres must be informed by the learnings from the pilot programme so they can be tailored to the needs of their communities. In order for the learnings to be robust, the 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot programme must be extended by at least 12 months …
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The design of these centres must be informed by the learnings from the pilot programme so they can be tailored to the needs of their communities. In order for the learnings to be robust, the 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot programme must be extended by at least 12 months beyond April 2026, with additional service development funding to allow all sites to become fully operational and generate sufficient data for analysis. This will require NHS England to finalise the outcome measures and evaluation metrics for the pilots without further delay. (Recommendation, Paragraph 93)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but then responds by discussing physical health outcomes for people with SMI and annual physical health checks, completely failing to address the call for extending the 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilot programme or finalising its evaluation metrics.
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Department of Health and Social Care
12
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
The Government should develop and publish a clear roadmap for the national scale-up of the pilot programme. In its response to this report, we expect the Government to state how the roadmap will be developed and the timeframe for publication. (Recommendation, Paragraph 94)
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The Government should develop and publish a clear roadmap for the national scale-up of the pilot programme. In its response to this report, we expect the Government to state how the roadmap will be developed and the timeframe for publication. (Recommendation, Paragraph 94)
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the recommendation but then details its commitment to reforming the Better Care Fund, including changes for the 2026-27 financial year, without addressing the specific request for a roadmap and timeframe for the national scale-up of the pilot programme.
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Department of Health and Social Care
13
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
We welcome the commitment in the 10 Year Health Plan to develop a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for mental health, with a focus on the needs of people with severe and enduring mental illness in particular. However, without a clear timeline for publication, this work risks slipping down the political …
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We welcome the commitment in the 10 Year Health Plan to develop a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for mental health, with a focus on the needs of people with severe and enduring mental illness in particular. However, without a clear timeline for publication, this work risks slipping down the political agenda. To ensure progress and accountability, the Government should set a deadline, in its response to this report, for when in 2026 the MSF for mental health will be published. (Recommendation, Paragraph 98)
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Government response AI summary
The government explicitly states it does not accept the recommendation. However, its reasoning discusses the voluntary nature and governance of Section 75 arrangements, which is entirely unrelated to the committee's request for a deadline for the Modern Service Framework's publication.
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Department of Health and Social Care
14
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
We would also like the Government to set out how people with lived experience will be involved in its development and how the MSF will be integrated with wider systems of support including those provided by the VCFSE sector and local authorities. It is essential that the MSF takes full …
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We would also like the Government to set out how people with lived experience will be involved in its development and how the MSF will be integrated with wider systems of support including those provided by the VCFSE sector and local authorities. It is essential that the MSF takes full account of the learnings and insights from the 24/7 Neighbourhood Mental Health Centre pilots. (Recommendation, Paragraph 99) 76 Creating the foundations for high-quality community-based care
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Government response AI summary
The government states it accepts the recommendation, but its response focuses on supporting Integrated Care Boards with multi-year commissioning arrangements and a strategic commissioning development programme in 2026-27 to strengthen partnerships with VCFSE organisations. It does not address how people with lived experience will be …
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Department of Health and Social Care
19
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
NHS England should reinstate the annual physical health check target for people with severe mental illness (SMI) in operational planning guidance. This target has driven significant progress and remains essential for accountability, monitoring co-morbidities, and reducing preventable deaths. Building on this, the Modern Service Framework must include physical health outcomes …
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NHS England should reinstate the annual physical health check target for people with severe mental illness (SMI) in operational planning guidance. This target has driven significant progress and remains essential for accountability, monitoring co-morbidities, and reducing preventable deaths. Building on this, the Modern Service Framework must include physical health outcomes and interventions for people with SMI as a core component. This should cover annual checks, tailored follow-up care, and mechanisms for monitoring and improvement. (Recommendation, Paragraph 133) 77
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but then responds by discussing staff retention, workforce pressures, and the 10 Year Workforce Plan, which are unrelated to the recommendation to reinstate physical health check targets for people with SMI or include physical health outcomes in the Modern …
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Department of Health and Social Care
20
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
Six months on from our Adult Social Care: The Cost of Inaction report, we are frustrated the Government is yet to review the structure and level of NHS investment in the Better Care Fund (BCF). Whilst we welcome a commitment to reform the BCF in the coming 2026–27 financial year, …
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Six months on from our Adult Social Care: The Cost of Inaction report, we are frustrated the Government is yet to review the structure and level of NHS investment in the Better Care Fund (BCF). Whilst we welcome a commitment to reform the BCF in the coming 2026–27 financial year, we believe this must become a priority if the Government is to ensure it is fully capable of meeting its renewed focus on prevention and provision in the community. This should also address the misalignment of funding cycles between the NHS and local authorities. We urge the Government to do so before another six months passes, and we expect a timeline for reform in response to this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 138)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but then responds by outlining its commitment to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan, which is completely irrelevant to the committee's call for reviewing and reforming the Better Care Fund and its funding cycles.
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Department of Health and Social Care
21
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
The Government should expand the use of Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 by enabling and encouraging more widespread pooling of budgets between NHS bodies and local authorities. This expansion should support the inclusion of a broader range of services—such as housing and education— within Section 75 arrangements to …
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The Government should expand the use of Section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 by enabling and encouraging more widespread pooling of budgets between NHS bodies and local authorities. This expansion should support the inclusion of a broader range of services—such as housing and education— within Section 75 arrangements to facilitate integrated commissioning and service delivery. Clearer governance and greater cross-cutting oversight of these arrangements would allow funding to follow need rather than organisational boundaries, enabling more person-centred, coordinated support for people with SMI. (Recommendation, Paragraph 143)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation but then responds by discussing the vital role of mental health social workers and how the 10 Year Workforce Plan and upcoming MSF will address workforce planning and clinical standards, completely ignoring the recommendation to expand Section 75 arrangements …
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Department of Health and Social Care
22
Recommendation
4th Report - Community Mental Health Se…
Not Addressed
VCFSE organisations make a vital contribution to integrated, person-centred care for people with severe mental illness, yet they are not consistently treated as equal third partners by commissioners and providers. This must change. Genuine partnership requires co-production from the outset and equitable access to funding, including for smaller and peer-led …
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VCFSE organisations make a vital contribution to integrated, person-centred care for people with severe mental illness, yet they are not consistently treated as equal third partners by commissioners and providers. This must change. Genuine partnership requires co-production from the outset and equitable access to funding, including for smaller and peer-led organisations trusted by communities underserved by statutory services. (Conclusion, Paragraph 149)
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Government response AI summary
The government states it accepts the recommendation but then discusses general accountability, new operating models, and patient feedback mechanisms for mental health services, without addressing the specific call for VCFSE organisations to be treated as equal partners with equitable funding and co-production from the outset.
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Department of Health and Social Care