Helen Hayes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Hayes on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether full funding for the implementation of the new access target for early intervention in psychosis is included in the Government’s commitment to an additional £600 million of funding for mental health in 2016-17.

Alistair Burt

No decision has yet been reached on how the additional £600 million of funding for mental health in 2016-17 will be allocated.

A key element of achieving parity across mental and physical health care is in people having timely access to evidence-based and effective treatment.

One focus of the first set of mental health standards for 2015/16 is that from 1 April 2016, 50% of people experiencing a first episode of psychosis are treated with a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence approved package of care within two weeks of referral. This is being supported by £40 million recurrent funding from NHS England to support delivery of the early intervention in psychosis (EIP) standard. Health Education England are focusing £5 million for workforce development towards meeting the EIP standard.