Recent Publications
This section is updated monthly and highlights the key policies and reports that have been recently published. All entries are dated with links to other sites to access the original document.
In addition to the links below the Department of Health publishes 'the week', a weekly update of news, events and consultations which is aimed primarily at senior managers and clinicians. Current and recent editions of 'the week' can be found on the Department of Health website.
Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives: Evaluating Progress
Posted: April 28 2011
This Department of Health report sets out key outcomes and service ambitions for local organisations to check progress on implementing the Adult Autism Strategy.
View the report on the NHS Confederation website.
Talking therapies: a four-year plan of action
Posted: April 28 2011
This Mental Health Network briefing summarises the Department of Health's plan to complete the roll-out of improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT), and outlines the key questions that boards should be asking.
View the full publication on the NHS Confederation website.
Pathways to unlocking secure mental health
Posted: April 01 2011
This report by the Centre for Mental Health examines the extent to which pathways into and through secure mental health services can be improved through the different security levels and ensure a better flow between prison and secure services.
View the full publication on the Centre for Mental Health website.
No health without mental health: a cross-government mental health outcomes strategy for people of all ages
Posted: February 03 2011
This publication details the government's new mental health strategy. It sets out six shared objectives to improve the mental health and well-being of the nation, and to improve outcomes for people with mental health problems through high quality services.
View the full publication on the Department of Health website.
NHS Operating Framework 2011-12: key issues for mental health providers
Posted: December 17 2010
The Mental Health Network has published a document looking at the key issues for mental health providers contained in NHS Operating Framework 2011-12.
View the report on the NHS Confed website.
Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011/12
Posted: December 17 2010
The Department of Health has published the Operating Framework for the NHS in England for 2011/12 - a year which will see numerous organisational transitions.
View the framework on the Department of Health website.
Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders Creating
Posted: December 09 2010
This Green Paper, published by the Ministry of Justice, looks at how an increased focus on reducing reoffending through improved rehabilitation services can be achieved. For offenders with mental health problems, the Green Paper recognises that prison is often not the solution for them.
View the green paper on the Ministry of Justice website.
Healthy lives, healthy people White Paper: Strategy for public health in England
Posted: December 06 2010
The White Paper sets out the Government's long-term vision for the future of public health in England. The aim is to create a 'wellness' service (Public Health England) and to strengthen both national and local leadership.
View the white paper on the Department of Health website.
Liberating the NHS: Greater choice and control
Posted: October 27 2010
The Department of Health's consultation 'Greater Choice and Control', asks for views on what extending patient choice to mental health treatment could mean and how it could work in practice.
View the consultation on the Department of Health website.
Opportunities for a new mental health strategy
Posted: October 27 2010
This briefing from the Future Vision Coalition sets out its priorities for what a new mental health strategy should aim to achieve over the next decade.
Under the radar: Women with borderline personality disorder in prison
Posted: September 23 2010
The Centre for Mental Health has published a report that calls for better diversion from custodial sentences for women with a personality disorder and increased training for prison staff.
View on the Centre for Mental Health website.
Prison mental health: vision and reality
Posted: September 23 2010
This new report on prison mental health by Nacro, in conjuction with the Royal College of Nursing and the Centre for Mental Health, features personal perspectives and individual observations of working in prison mental health from prominent figures in the field.
Public health and criminal justice: Promoting and protecting offenders' mental health and wellbeing
Posted: August 20 2010
This policy paper looks at a range of innovative programmes and interventions that target people and communities at high risk of social exclusion, poor mental health and offending.
View on the Centre for Mental Health website.
Implementing 'Fulfilling and rewarding lives'
Posted: August 06 2010
This consultation seeks views on the draft guidance to health and social care services. The guidance has been drafted to support the implementation of the Autism Strategy 'Fulfilling and rewarding lives'.
View on the Department of Health website.
The Commissioning Friend for Mental Health Services
Posted: April 16 2010
The recently revised mental health commissioning guide for health and social care commissioners.
View on the National Mental Health Development Unit website.
Mental health system reform: towards delivering New Horizons and Quality and Productivity
Posted: April 14 2010
This dear colleague letter discusses a number of significant system reforms which, from April 2010, will apply to mental health for the first time.
View the letter on the Department of Health website.
The NHS Performance Framework: implementation guidance 2010/11
Posted: April 14 2010
Guidance on application of the NHS Performance Framework to acute, ambulance and mental health trusts (non-foundation trusts) has been updated for 2010/11.
View on the Department of Health website.
Attitudes to mental illness 2010
Posted: April 06 2010
The latest national statistics on Attitudes to Mental Illness produced by the Department of Health were released on 30 March 2010 according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
View the report on the Department of Health website.
World Class Commissioning March 2010 update
Posted: March 25 2010
The latest World Class Commissioning update includes details of WCC assurance and alignment with regulatory bodies.
View the update on the Department of Health website.
Working it out: employment for people with a mental health condition
Posted: March 25 2010
This NHS Confederation briefing examines the relationship between employment and mental health and looks at ways of getting mental health service users back to work.
Go to the NHS Confederation website.
Paths to Personalisation: A whole system, whole life framework
Posted: March 25 2010
This Mental Health Development Unit framework aims to help all those involved in developing personalised services and approaches for people with mental health needs to implement the necessary whole system changes effectively.
Go to the Paths to Personalisation website.
CQC publishes five year strategy for mental health regulation
Posted: March 24 2010
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a five year action plan on the regulation of mental health services which sets out their priorities for regulation and improvement in health and adult social care.
View the strategy on the CQC website.
Fulfilling and rewarding lives: the strategy for adults with autism in England
Posted: March 15 2010
The Government has published its first strategy aimed at delivering 'fundamental change' in service provision for the approximately 400,000 adults with autistic spectrum conditions (ASCs).
View the report on the Department of Health website.
Guide to relational security: See Think Act
Posted: March 15 2010
This publication is a suite of materials that the Department of Health has developed to assist people who work in secure mental health services to understand the concept of relational security.
View the publication on the Department of Health website.
Rising to the challenge: health priorities for government and the NHS
Posted: March 15 2010
In this report the NHS sets out what it sees as the major priorities facing it and what a new government will need to do post-election to develop patient care and create the necessary conditions for progress.
View the report on the NHS Confederation website.
Realising the benefits: IAPT at full roll-out
Posted: March 15 2010
This Department of Health publication details the next steps in the move towards the full roll out of IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapy) services. The guidance provides support for established and developing services, focusing on quality standards and analysing the progress that has been made in rolling out services to date.
View the report on the Department of Health website.
Waiting on the wings: A review of the costs and benefits of secure psychiatric hospital care for people in the criminal justice system with severe mental health problems
Posted: March 15 2010
This report examines the prevalence of mental illness within the prison system and the costs associated with the treatment of those prisoners in both prison and in medium secure hospitals, and the financial savings that could be made if more prisoners received more appropriate, timely treatment.
View the report on the NHS Evidence website.
Statistics published on mentally disordered offenders
Posted: February 25 2010
The latest Ministry of Justice Statistics on mentally disordered offenders have been published and include information about patients admitted to, detained in, or discharged from psychiatric hospitals.
For more information visit the Ministry of Justice website.
Study published into cases of suicide among patients absconding from mental health services
Posted: February 25 2010
Professor Louis Appleby, national clinical director for mental health and other researchers at Manchester University have published a study which examines cases of suicide by people in contact with mental health services in England and Wales between 1997 and 2006.
View the report on the BMC website.
The NHS operating framework for England for 2010/11
Posted: February 01 2010
The operating framework for the NHS for 2010/11 sets out the priorities for the NHS for the year ahead to enable them to begin their planning.
View the framework and related links on the Department of Health website.
NHS Standard Contract & Guidance for Mental Health and Learning Disability published
Posted: January 29 2010
The new NHS standard contract for Mental Health and Learning Disability whas been published. It cover's agreements between PCTs and all types of provider delivering NHS funded mental health services.
View the contract on the Dept of Health website.
Keeping children and young people in mind: the Government's full response to the independent review of CAMHS
Posted: January 11 2010
The full Government response to the final report of the independent CAMHS review, setting out progress to date and plans for the future of children and young people's mental health.
View the publication on the Dept of Health website.
Work, Recovery and Inclusion: Employment support for people in contact with secondary mental health services
Posted: January 11 2010
Work, Recovery and Inclusion is a new government delivery strategy that sets out a series of actions that will help meet the aspirations of people in contact with secondary mental health services who want to work.