Mental Health Services 2026-04-14
2026-04-14
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The Liberal Democrat MP is concerned about [K the potential impact of changes to mental health funding on access to servi [5D [K services, especially in his constituency where families face long waits for [3D [K for support. He references a previous conversation with the Secretary of St [2D [K State 15 months ago and cites an example of a constituent whose child has w [1D [K waited 10 months for a mental health assessment.
What assessment have you made of the potential im [2D [K impact of changes to the mental health investment standard on access to men [3D [K mental health services? In my constituency, too many families face long and [3D [K and distressing waits for mental health support for children and young peop [4D [K people. A constituent recently wrote to me that her son is waiting 10 month [5D [K months just for an assessment for his mental health needs. She asked how pa [2D [K parents can watch their young people suffer for a whole year before they ge [2D [K get any help. I am worried that the revised standard will not help this pro [3D [K problem sufficiently. Can you tell my constituents when child and adolescen [9D [K adolescent mental health waiting lists will start to fall?
Mental health funding will rise by £140 million in [K real terms this year, reaching a record £16.1 billion. That is on top of ca [2D [K capital investment of £473 million over four years to deliver new models of [2D [K of care and digital transformation. Early intervention for children's menta [5D [K mental health and wellbeing is provided through rolling out mental health s [1D [K support teams in every school by 2029. A £13 million pilot will enhance tra [3D [K training for staff to offer more support to young people with complex needs [5D [K needs. The government aims to ensure that, as they digitally transform serv [4D [K services, both children and adults can access talking therapies where neces [5D [K necessary.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific question about when waiting lists wi [2D [K will start to fall was not directly addressed.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP raises concerns about long waits for [3D [K for mental health support in his constituency, highlighting a case where a [K child has waited 10 months for an assessment. He queries the effectiveness [K of the government's approach to reducing waiting times and improving access [6D [K access to care.
In my constituency, too many families face long a [1D [K and distressing waits for mental health support for children and young peop [4D [K people. A constituent recently wrote to me that her son is waiting 10 month [5D [K months just for an assessment for his mental health needs. She asked how pa [2D [K parents can watch their young people suffer for a whole year before they ge [2D [K get any help. I am worried that the revised mental health investment standa [6D [K standard will not help this problem sufficiently. Can the Minister tell my [K constituents when child and adolescent mental health waiting lists will sta [3D [K start to fall?
We are providing early intervention for children's [K mental health and wellbeing through the roll-out of mental health support t [1D [K teams in every school by 2029. We are investing £13 million to pilot enhanc [6D [K enhanced training for staff so that they can offer more support to young pe [2D [K people with complex needs. As we digitally transform services, both childre [7D [K children and adults will be able to access talking therapies where required [8D [K required.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific question about when waiting lists wi [2D [K will start to fall was not directly addressed.
Response accuracy