The NHS has launched a £70 million scheme targeted at helping autistic and learning-disabled children and adults access mental health services more quickly.
The initiative is the Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism: Assessment and Diagnosis, NHS Talking Therapies and Crisis Services framework agreement. Its purpose is to enable professionals to see patients faster.
Poor mental health ‘costs £300 billion a year’
Mind, the mental health charity, found that the cost of poor mental health is around £300 billion a year in England alone. For children and young people, mental health services now account for more than £1 billion of NHS spending annually in England.
The new scheme is being run by NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS). This is a joint venture dating from 2004 that provides back-office systems such as accounting, procurement and payroll services.
Laura Goodwin is the category manager for NHS SBS. She explained: “Mental health problems are rising, and as a result, people are waiting longer than they should to access the care they need – a problem that has been highlighted in the Long Term Plan, the NHS 2024/25 priorities and Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS.”
The new framework agreement is one of the first under the recently launched Provider Selection Regime. Its aim is to provide NHS trusts with the assurance that contracts awarded are fully compliant with the new legislation.
The agreement has three Lots:
Lot 1 – Assessment and diagnosis
This includes a range of services and clinical assessments for diagnosing common mental health conditions, severe mental illness, and neurological conditions. The lot will also include provision for ongoing assessments.
Lot 2 – NHS talking therapies
This lot covers NHS talking therapies for anxiety and depression. It provides treatment and psychotherapy for people with common mental health problems. These problems can include mixed depression and anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Lot 3 – Crisis services
This focuses on relapse prevention. It helps relevant authorities respond to patients at times when their mental health and/or social situation has deteriorated to the point they are at considerable risk and require additional support to remain in their current accommodation and/or prevent further harm.
‘Efficient and effective’
Asked how the initiative would make a difference to waiting lists, Laura Goodwin said: “Trusted, competent third-party suppliers are an efficient and effective way of tackling waiting lists. With our NHS customers contacting us regularly looking for help, we are confident that this new framework agreement will enable trusts to get the additional support they – and their patients – so desperately need.”
For more information, contact the NHS SBS team at: sbs.hello@nhs.net.
Related:
- CQC slams mental health services
- Autism parents suffer more mental health problems
- Social workers aim to cut hospital stays
- Still stuck in mental health hospitals
- NHS watchdog demands community care
- Disabled children hidden from society
- New NHS guidelines shift care provision
Published: 21 April 2025
