Thinking differently: A ‘first steps’ guide for transforming community mental health
Rethink Mental Illness’ guide is designed to support STPs/ICSs to take the first steps needed to transform community mental health care.
The NHS Long Term Plan sets out a transformative vision for community-based support for people living with moderate to severe mental illness and complex needs. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to radically redesign services and improve quality of life for service users across England.
Transformation funding will enter this system in April 2021. Prior to this, the NHS, voluntary organisations, local authorities and people affected by mental illness will need to work together in planning how they can make the vision outlined in the Community Mental Health Framework a reality.
Our guide outlines the first five steps needed to transform community mental health care. These have been based on lessons from pilot sites and other pioneering work taking place across England. One example is in Somerset, where we are leading a voluntary sector alliance and working closely with Somerset STP to deliver a new model of care.
Rethink Mental Illness are currently running a series of webinars to support you to undertake this transformation in your own STP area. Click here to find out more.
The first five steps
Download the STP guide as a PDF
Webinar series
We are also delivering a series of webinars to support STPs/ICSs and their partners to get to grips with this transformation.
Our next webinar: Community mental health transformation - troubleshooting your issues, Tuesday 16th December from 1-2pm
The third in our series of webinars will focus on troubleshooting any issues you are facing in planning your transformation of community mental health.
Topics explored during this online event will include involvement of the VCSE sector, procurement, measurements and evaluation and co-production to name a few. We will draw on the experience and knowledge of our new Community Mental Health Framework Unit and experts from across the system.
Watch previous webinars
Thinking Differently: a ‘first steps’ to transforming community mental health launch event
Rethink Mental Illness Deputy Chief Executive Brian Dow is joined by speakers, including Claire Murdoch, National Mental Health Director at NHS England and Improvement, for this webinar offering expert insights, user perspectives and practical tips based on lessons from pilot sites to support STPs/ICSs to come together with everyone involved in providing local support for people with severe mental illness, and plan how to realise this vision ahead of the upcoming investment.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/LkFr1hxnbSs
Somerset’s trailblazing redesign of community mental health
Much of our STP guide has drawn on lessons from the pioneering work taking place in Somerset, where Rethink Mental Illness is the lead accountable organisation in a VCSE sector alliance that is working in partnership with the local STP. Hear from the NHS, voluntary partners and experts by experience about how the Somerset community mental health system was co-designed with experts by experience and the local voluntary sector and how it’s now being delivered.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/bNYnQZvOqGM
Contact us
We have experts in-house who can advise on co-production and VCSE alliance-building. please email cmhfsupport@rethink.org
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