Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Deferred
Co-design new mental health care models with experts by experience
Recommendation
Our conclusions in this Chapter try to reflect what service users told us they wanted. This must be reflected in service design. As new models of care are commissioned and implemented, these must be co-designed with experts by experience to ensure services deliver the high quality care such users need and deserve. (Recommendation, Paragraph 60) Recent reforms to Community Mental Health Services
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation but defers concrete action, stating that development of the Mental Service Specification for SMI is underway. Timelines will be confirmed in due course, incorporating findings from a review and community mental health centre evaluation due in summer 2026.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
The government accepts this recommendation. Embedding the voice of people with lived experience is fundamental to delivering person-centred mental health care. We are committed to ensuring that NHS services reflect what matters most to those who use them, and that NHS mental health services deliver the care that people need. The community based mental health centres are an example of this recommendation in action. Experts by experience have been involved in the pilot process from the start, co-producing the key principles of the model, designing and participating in the selection process and the independent evaluation. Genuine co-production with people and families is one of the 10 principles informing the model. Each centre demonstrates genuine co-production by making sure that people with lived experience, families and carers are equal partners in the design, governance and day to day operation. The model and service offer are shaped by what local people and families say they need most. Community based mental health centres put co-production into practice, creating services that are grounded in the realities of people’s lives. More broadly, NHS England is providing guidance and practical tools to help systems involve people who use services and their families meaningfully and inclusively. This includes culturally competent engagement, accessible formats for underrepresented groups, and digital tools such as the NHS App, enabling people to participate actively in care planning and provide feedback. Embedding the patient and carer race equality framework (PCREF) within this process is essential. PCREF’s participatory approach, co-produced with communities most affected by racial inequalities, ensures that service design actively addresses disparities in access, experience, and outcomes. By integrating PCREF principles into commissioning and delivery, providers can create culturally competent, equitable services that reflect the voices and needs of diverse populations. Recent reforms to Community Mental Health Services
Read the full response on Parliament ↗