The National Audit Office has published a report analysing progress made on improving mental health services in England. The full report can be found here: nao.org.uk/reports/
Here’s a round-up of some key findings (1/10) No. of people treated by MH services ⬆️ from 3.6m in 2016-17 to 4.5m in 2021-22. However, some access targets (of which there are a limited no. compared with physical health - we are still waiting for standards agreed in 2021 to be implemented) are not being met (2/10)

NEW: The joint committee on the draft mental health bill has concluded its scrutiny of govt’s proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act 1983 They have recommended a series of actions, key ones include the creation of a new, statutory, mental health commissioner (similar to victims’ commissioner for crime, and patient safety commissioner) who will work with patients, CQC, NHS and PHSO

NEW: Nearly 2,000 staff were absent from work yesterday during the #NursesStrike across eight mental health trusts, according to NHS figures out this pm Large mental health & community trust @Mersey_Care had most staff off overall with 644 absent due to strikes.

That figure also represents 21.7% of the trust's total number of qualified nursing full time equivalent staff (approx: 2,964 as of Sept 2022)

NEW: The mortality rate for autistic people has been estimated by the NHS for the first time

(TW: death)
hsj.co.uk/mental-health/… According to an internal document, seen by @HSJnews, autistic people without a learning disability are approximately 51% more likely to die in a single year vs the general population

Exclusive: NHSE leak reveals 1m patients on hidden waiting list

This includes hundreds of thousands of children - biggest waiting lists are for services such as child development & speech and language therapy hsj.co.uk/community-serv… We've learned of serious concerns within @NHSEngland about neglect of the community & mental health backlogs, while the discrepancy with acute initiatives has been branded "immoral" by a trust CEO

NEW: Ministers announce plan to publish draft legislation to reform the Mental Health Act in #QueensSpeech The purpose of the draft bill is to
➡️ Limit detentions of people with a learning disability and autistic people in hospital
➡️ Help tackle disparities & reduce number of people from minority ethnic backgrounds detained
➡️ Reduce the use of community treatment orders

NHS staff survey - some concerning deteriorations in @HSJnews analysis of mental health trusts. Among those with biggest falls (table below) is @TaviAndPort - we reported on cultural concerns there in January hsj.co.uk/mental-health/… Some stark differences between top & bottom five in England - among those with poorest scores @NSFTtweets and @SHSCFT while @BHFT @NHFTNHS well supported by staff. Full analysis via @HSJnews hsj.co.uk/workforce/the-…

🚨BREAKING: Repeated care and governance failures were routinely ignored by a hospital trust where poor maternity care resulted in 295 avoidable baby deaths or brain damage cases, final @DOckendenLtd report into maternity at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust finds Nine mothers also died as a result of avoidable poor care and there were concerns for an additional three mothers’ but #ockendenreview found outcome would have been the same

NEW: Child and adolescent mental health wards - a core service @HPFT_NHS - have been rated ‘inadequate’, but the #Hertfordshire trust retains its overall ‘outstanding’ rating hsj.co.uk/mental-health/… CQC says inspection at Forest House, an inpatient unit in Radlett, wasn't "wide ranging enough" to affect trust's overall ratings. Teenagers told inspectors they "didn't feel safe", and leadership within the service was found to have "significantly deteriorated"