BPS President Roman Raczka takes part in Westminster Health Forum policy conference 

On Friday 28 February, BPS President Roman Raczka participated in a panel session at the Westminster Health Policy Forum.  

Presenting alongside Councillor Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Southwark Council, Dr Alan Cohen, Chair of Oxfordshire Mind and Jonathan Campion, Director for Public Mental Health and Consultant Psychiatrist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the session explored. 'Strategic next steps for mental health provision and preventative care'. 

Roman highlighted the need for increased funding and resources for community-based mental health services that focus on prevention, and outlined what's needed to ensure this type of care can meet future demand and address current mental health inequalities. 

The key points raised by Roman were: 

• Positive steps for mental health services – The BPS has welcomed additional government investment in mental health services, the transformation of community mental health, and the expansion of NHS talking therapies and specialist mental health care in areas including perinatal and addictions. Public awareness work has also helped highlight the need to improve care, tackle socioeconomic inequalities and address the racial disparities and barriers for minoritised communities have when accessing mental health services.
• Waiting lists for services remain high – Sadly, demand for mental health services outpaces capacity and waiting lists for treatment from mental health services are high. Currently, 1.68 million adults and around half a million children are on mental health waiting lists.
• Emphasising the need for multidisciplinary services - An effective community-based model of mental health services needs a range of professionals working together to deliver services, including practitioner psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses, social workers and community outreach workers. The psychological professions should be embedded further than they currently are into primary and community services, as this will support service users accessing care that meets their physical and psychological needs.
• Staff shortages remain a problem – There are significant shortfalls in the number and skills of staff. Mental health nurse numbers have only recently returned to 2010 levels, and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan models that psychological professions need to grow by 24,000 - 26,000 additional posts by 2037. If we're to move towards a preventative, community-based model of care, staff need training and support to understand the complexities of working with patients in the community. This needs a strategy to make sure staff have the skills for a new community-based and preventive model of care. 
• Address current staff wellbeing and retention - Focus is needed on staff retention and making the NHS a great place to work, as data shows that almost a third of NHS staff often think about leaving their organisation. Roman said that fully- funded mental health support for NHS staff is key to retention. 
• More investment is needed in research and staff training in technology and AI – In 2022, mental health research only received 6.7 per cent of research expenditure, and Roman described how this figure needs to increase to make sure there's innovative, impactful research for evidence-based practice and policy development. The Mental health workforce also needs support to enter their practice staff to be 'digitally competent and digitally empowered'. 
• Community collaboration - Mental health is shaped by our environment, social conditions, and economic stability, so we can't improve mental wellbeing without addressing poverty, unemployment, social isolation, racial disparities in access and treatment, and housing insecurity. Mental health policy must work closely with broader social policies to create conditions where people can thrive.
• Adequate resources  – Roman highlighted the need for appropriate and accessible clinic space and digital equipment to support patients and community funding must be prioritised as a mechanism for reducing long-term pressure on the acute sector. Shifting resources towards prevention and early intervention will allow trusts to deliver a more proactive and co-ordinated community-based model of mental health care. 

Roman concluded by explaining how the future of mental health services depends on bold action, sustained investment, and a commitment to equity.  Together, we can have a mental health workforce that delivers services that are preventative, as well as responsive, inclusive, and fit for the future.