Four new guides to improve mental health commissioning
06/02/12
Four practical guides to help current and
future commissioners plan and deliver high quality mental health
services have been published today.
The guides focus on primary mental health care services, child
and adolescent mental health service transitions, dementia services
and acute liaison services, and have been produced by the Joint
Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCP-MH).
The short, easy-to-use guides describe what good quality, modern
mental health services should look like. They bring together
scientific evidence, patient and carer experience and viewpoints,
and examples of best practice.
The JCP-MH was launched in March 2011. It is led by the Royal
College of Psychiatrists and Royal College of General
Practitioners, in collaboration with 15 other leading organisations
with an interest in mental health, learning disabilities and
wellbeing.
The organisations came together to address concerns about the
future commissioning of mental health services, and use their
shared expertise to support current and future commissioners in
commissioning mental health care that delivers the best possible
outcomes.
Professor Helen Lester, Commissioning Lead for Mental Health at
the Royal College of General Practitioners and co-chair of the
Panel said: “As a practising GP, I know that it can often be
challenging to get the right care in the right place at the right
time for people with mental health problems. The Joint
Commissioning Panel for Mental Health has written guides full of
good ideas for commissioners, based on case studies of what works
in practice as well as the research evidence base. Every
commissioning group should have a set of these guides close at
hand.”
Dr Neil Deuchar, Commissioning Lead at the Royal College of
Psychiatrists and Co-Chair of the JCP-MH said: “We know that
commissioning mental health services can be challenging,
particularly in these times of uncertainty and change. By bringing
together experts from all parts of mental health – specialist
clinicians, social care, providers of all types, service users and
GPs – the panel aims help current and future commissioners gain
confidence and expertise in ‘values-based’ mental health
commissioning.”
Steve Shrubb, Director of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health
Network which is part of the JCP-MH, said: “We know that there is
massive potential for GPs to improve the nation's mental health as
they take over commissioning of NHS services. The vast majority of
NHS care is offered in primary care and with GPs in control of
organising care patients there is a real opportunity to improve
care for patients. We also know that many GPs themselves recognise
that they do not yet have all the skills they need to commission
mental health services. We are really keen to support GPs as they
take over their new responsibilities and these guides provide a
really important resource which is backed up by the best available
evidence.”
Speaking on behalf of the Association of Directors of Adult
Social Services (ADASS), Terry Dafter, Director of Adult Social
Care for Stockport, said: “This has been a genuinely collaborative
exercise between all key stakeholders involved in commissioning
mental health services. These are interesting and challenging times
for everyone and the spirit of partnership working is reflected in
this latest set of guides. ADASS hopes that they will form a useful
tool and benchmark for commissioners of mental health services who
have an interest in a values-based approach to their work.”
A further 10 guides are currently in production covering:
addictions services, acute mental health care, child and adolescent
mental health services, community mental health services, eating
disorder services, forensic services, perinatal services, public
mental health interventions, rehabilitation services, and services
for older people.
Download copies of the guides
Guides for commissioners of mental health services 
Further information
RCGP Press office – 020 3188 7574/7575/7576/7569
Out of hours: 0203 188 7659
press@rcgp.org.uk
Notes to editors
The Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCP-MH) is a
collaboration of leading organisations with an interest in mental
health, learning disabilities, and wellbeing. It exists to provide
current and future commissioners with knowledge, practical
guidance, evidence, and insight. The JCP-MH is a partnership
between: Royal College of General Practitioners; Royal College of
Psychiatrists; Association of Directors of Adult Social Services;
NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network; Mind; Rethink Mental
Illness; Afiya Trust; National Involvement Partnership; National
Survivor and User Network; Royal College of Nursing; Healthcare
Financial Management Association; British Psychological Society;
Department of Health; Mental Health Providers Forum; New Savoy
Partnership; representatives of the English Strategic Health
Authorities; and representatives from specialised
commissioning.