Our Call For Transformation: Changing the Culture and Structure of Mental Health Services in the UK
IMHCN works internationally to promote fundamental change in how people are supported in mental health services. Through Our Call for Transformation and our networks, we share examples of innovative practices in the UK and around the world, including community services developed as alternatives to in-patient beds for people in crisis.
The campaign sets out the need for fundamental change and shows that practical solutions already exist in the UK and other countries. We continue to gather examples of useful practices and services to share across our networks. Many are described in Our Call for Transformation.
This is ongoing work that calls on all of us to seek a better future for people with mental health needs and to address the key challenges we have identified together.
The campaign is intended as a catalyst for action by the UK Government, NHS England and Wales, Integrated Care Boards, the Care Quality Commission, Mental Health Trusts and Boards, the third sector, and the independent sector.
Our Call For Transforming Mental Health
In recent years we have become increasingly concerned that the mental health system in the UK is not working in the best interests of people with mental health issues.
To address these concerns we brought together our partners to identify what is wrong with present services and practices and to set out solutions. This led to Our Call for Transforming Mental Health in the UK, published in the document below.
In this document IMHCN advocates for the development of a Whole Person, Whole Life, Whole System strategic approach to change the culture, thinking and practice of mental health services.
Over the last 60 years mental health services in the UK have undergone significant improvement and development. The Victorian institutions have closed and community services have, in part, replaced them. This was indeed a true paradigm shift in the development of services. The system has changed, but what about thinking, culture and practices?
The in-patient model introduced 60 years ago has become outdated and is not suitable for people today. It has not changed to take into account the different needs and the numbers of people who are in need of crisis support. It is clear that one size and model does not fit all people’s needs and circumstances.
Specifically the structure of hospital services needs to change because:
- There are too many people in acute wards with too many different needs, with some people not needing to be in a locked space, but just needing somewhere to be safe and to recover. This requires a root and branch review of the structure, purpose and culture of current in-patient services across the UK.
- There have been too many incidents of abuse and neglect in in-patient units
- There has not been enough emphasis on developing and strengthening complementary community services to work alongside a redesigned in-patient service.
- There remains an imbalance in budgets and allocation of funding in favour of in-patient care to the detriment of community care.
The focus on a predominantly clinical model has led mental health organisations to undervalue or fail to recognise the importance of the social determinants of mental health for many people who use services. This is one key reason why services have failed to address the whole life needs of people, Social determinants of mental health, (WHO, 2014). This is directly connected to why mental health services and practices haven’t addressed the needs of black and ethnic minority communities Race and Mental Health, (Mind, 2022).
Today, we need a different paradigm shift with a new clear community vision. This requires a new way of thinking about the design and development of new community based services for people in crisis and with ongoing issues. This is why IMHCN continues to advance this Call for Transformation, to challenge and change how people with a mental health issue are helped in a crisis and with their ongoing needs.
We continue to host events, workshops, and learning sets that keep momentum behind Our Call for Transformation.
The campaign is intended as a catalyst for action by the UK Government, NHS England and Wales, Integrated Care Boards, the Care Quality Commission, Mental Health Trusts and Boards, the third sector, and the independent sector.
What You Will Find on This Site
IMHCN brings together practitioners, researchers, service users, and allies who want mental health systems to work better for real people. The site groups our main work into these sections:
- Values and Principles – the ethical foundation for our work
- Library and Resources – recovery approaches, life domains, and service innovation
- International Training School – workshops, learning sets, and consultancy
- News – updates from IMHCN and developments worldwide
- Community Crisis Alternatives Beyond Hospital Admission – practical options when hospital beds are not the right answer
- Join IMHCN – become part of the network
