The importance of acute inpatient mental health services
A key aim of mental health care in England in recent years has been on supporting people to live more independent lives through better care and treatment in the community.
The emphasis placed on strengthening community services has meant that acute inpatient services have not always received the attention needed to ensure that service users are fully involved in planning their own care, and that care is safe and effective.
A number of reports have highlighted concerns about the quality of provision of acute inpatient services, with clear evidence of unmet needs. This has also led to public concern about the safety of these services. In response, the Government set out clear policy and objectives, along with capital investment, to ensure that appropriate acute services are available as part of the pathway of care. A range of national initiatives has been launched to support and coordinate improvement in the quality of these services.
While this presented a timely opportunity to assess the extent to which the policy objectives have been implemented, it is also important that the findings are considered in the context of current policy objectives – personalised care, improved clinical pathways, and continued reduction in the barriers and stigma that people with mental health problems often face in our society.
