PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Psychiatric Hospitals (21 October 2024)

The Health Services Safety Investigations Body (HSSIB) is currently conducting an investigation into mental health inpatient settings to identify ways we can improve mental health care for people with severe mental illness, protect patients and the public, and create a safe working environment for staff. The HSSIB’s findings will be published on a rolling basis from the autumn to drive improvements in patient safety and National Health Service mental health services, and the investigation is expected to conclude by the end of March 2025.

Additionally, NHS England is taking forward a new Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme to support cultural change and a reimagined model of care for the future across all NHS-funded mental health, learning disability, and autism inpatient settings. Local health systems are currently developing three-year plans to localise and realign inpatient care in line with this vision.

To improve the mental health estate, over £400 million has been spent between 2020/21 and 2023/24 to replace dormitories in mental health facilities with single ensuite bedrooms. 41 schemes had been completed by May 2024 replacing 657 beds out of 1355.

As part of phase 1 of the Spending Review £26 million of capital investment has been announced to open new mental health crisis centres.

Our 10-Year Health Plan will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed to move healthcare from hospital to the community, from analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention and we are currently gathering views from members of the public, staff and organisations on their experiences and ideas to reform the NHS and make it fit for the future.