“Together for Health” a five year vision for the NHS which promises a “new comprehensive approach to mental health care” has been launched by Health and Social Services Minister, Lesley Griffiths AM.
The document outlines the challenges facing the health service and “the actions necessary to ensure it is capable of world-class performance”. It lists the factors driving the need for reform, including a rising elderly population, health inequalities, more people with chronic conditions, medical staffing pressures and some specialist services being spread too thinly.
It also sets out how the NHS will look in five years’ time, based around primary and community services playing a major role in delivery.
Addressing mental health services “Together for Health” states:
“Over the next five years, there will be a new comprehensive approach to mental health care. This will include a range of approaches from promoting good mental health through reducing stigma and promoting recovery to better support for dementia. There will be more community-based teams and more staff working in primary care.
“Other specific planned improvements relate to services for cancer, cardiac problems and stroke. Action will be taken to facilitate an increase in organ donations and to create a coherent national service for end of life care.
“Within 12 months we will issue delivery plans for major services such as cancer, cardiac care, stroke care and mental health, specifying the next steps in service improvement.
“We will also introduce personal care plans for people with cancer, mental health issues and chronic health problems.”
To read the main commitments in “Together for Health” please visit: http://tiny.cc/k4wkt
To download a copy of “Together for Health” please visit: http://tiny.cc/ds65b