We’re pleased to see commitments to mental health in the King’s Speech, in particular reform of the Mental Health Act to reduce restrictive practice & give greater voice to people accessing support.

But mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. What still needs to change?

Poverty is a major factor in our mental health – a contributor to toxic stress and disconnection. So commitments to reducing barriers to opportunity and employment are welcome – but the systems meant to support people when this doesn’t happen need to be fit for purpose.

The welfare system’s a big part of these systems, but punitive sanctions increase shame, ramp up stigma around unemployment, and contribute to people becoming ‘trapped’ in cycle. A sustainable mental health approach needs to be underpinned by changes in the welfare system.

Similarly, reducing waiting times for mental health support is only a step forward if that mental health support is within the context of other sustainable change in people’s lives. Therapy doesn’t fix deprivation, and access to mental health support doesn’t change circumstances.

Better access to services also doesn’t address the harmful interactions that some people and communities have had with the mental health system. That needs recognising as we go forward – or we risk building that harm into new systems. Trust is part of improving access.

Reform of the Mental Health Act is still a positive step forward, however, and the commitments to reducing restrictive practice are essential. This follows on from WHO/UN guidance on rights-based mental health practice last year: Read here

We’ve spent 30 years working to understand the things that create the foundations for positive change in people’s lives, and that form the circumstances for sustainable wellbeing. We’ve laid out the policy steps needed to make that happen in our manifesto: Read here

You can also read our response to the Welsh Government’s Mental Health Strategy here: Read here