Adult mental health services across Wales are in danger of not meeting key standards and targets set out by the Welsh Assembly Government, according to the Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman. His report, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government, highlights problems with the way services are currently planned, organised and monitored – which are jeopardising the success of the Assembly Government’s National Service Framework.

The Auditor General’s report, published today, does point to several examples of good practice, but overall it found significant gaps in the way mental health services are delivered. The agencies that are responsible for planning and delivering mental health services need to work together to develop a more comprehensive range of services to meet the diverse and complex needs of service users. Current funding mechanisms also need review to ensure that they support long-term service development.

The report identifies gaps in community based services that can provide an alternative to hospital admission. It also calls for more co-ordinated working between mental health services and criminal justice and drug and alcohol services. Training for GPs and other practice staff is an issue that requires urgent attention, to make them fully aware of how to recognise and best treat mental health problems. The report also concludes that some patients should be given more of a say in their care and have greater access to advice and information.

While mental health is identified as one of the Welsh Assembly Government’s health priorities, the report shows that improvements are still needed and makes a number of recommendations.

Recommendations include:

The Welsh Assembly Government should:

• Ensure that funding mechanisms support long term service development  and that efficiency savings in the adult mental health sector are ploughed back into services;
• Develop guidance on joint commissioning of adult mental services by NHS bodies, local authorities and Health Commission Wales;
• Issue more detailed policy guidance in a number of key areas to service planners, commissioners and providers.

Service planners and providers should:

• Develop a “whole-system” approach to mental health;
• Increase initiatives that focus on mental health promotion and early intervention;
• Remodel services to provide more community based care and to support and improve training for GPs and practice staff.

Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman said today:

“Services for adults with mental health needs have a long way to go. The Welsh Assembly Government should use the findings of this report, and other external reviews, to develop a clearer approach for the future to make sure people with mental health problems in Wales receive the quality of care they deserve.”

Notes to Editors:

• This report contains the findings of a baseline review of adult mental health services in Wales. It was carried out by the Wales Audit Office’s predecessor body, the Audit Commission in Wales.
• This review was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government in a bid to improve mental health services across Wales. It examines whether adult mental health services in Wales support the delivery of the Assembly’s National Service Framework standards.
• National Service Frameworks provide a strategy for tackling the agenda of improving standards and quality across health care sectors. They are implemented in partnership with social care and other organisations.
• The Wales Audit Office (WAO) is independent of government and is responsible for the annual audit of some £19 billion of annual public expenditure.
• The WAO was created in April 2005 through the Public Audit (Wales) Act, 2004, which expanded the functions of the Auditor General for Wales and enabled the transfer of staffs from the Audit Commission in Wales and National Audit Office in Wales to his employment.

For more information please contact Rachel Harries (Communications and Media Officer) on 02920 262 675 or email rachel.harries@wao.gov.uk