Campaign success as COVID-19 inquiry to look at mental health impact of pandemic
News from BACP

We’re pleased to see that mental health will be added into the remit of the COVID-19 public inquiry.

The inquiry’s Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, has written to the Prime Minister with recommendations to expand the draft Terms of Reference to include the impact on mental health and wellbeing of the UK population.

We wrote to Baroness Hallett last month calling for the mental health to be urgently added into the inquiry’s remit.

Our call was backed by 25 other organisations, representing more than 80,000 therapists.

Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs Martin Bell said: “We’re pleased to see that Baroness Hallett has listened to this campaign for mental health to be included in the inquiry.

“This was a powerful call from organisations representing those who’ve seen first-hand the mental health impact of the pandemic and played a critical role in support vulnerable communities over the past two years. These strong voices have been heard and acted on.

“We hope the inclusion of mental health in this inquiry will ensure lessons are learnt and shape future mental health support and investment, and responses to any other pandemics.

“We’d like to thank Baroness Hallett for publicly supporting this call in her letter to the Prime Minister and to the other organisations who backed our campaign for mental health to be included in the inquiry.”

Baroness Hallett’s recommendations came after a consultation on the terms of the inquiry, which received more than 20,000 responses.

She has also asked the Prime Minister to expand the terms of reference to include children and young people (including the impact on health, wellbeing and social care education and early years provision) and the collaboration between central government, devolved administrations, local authorities and the voluntary and community sector.

A statement on the inquiry’s website also said: “Baroness Hallett has also recommended that the Terms of Reference be reframed to put inequalities at its forefront so that investigation into the unequal impacts of the pandemic runs through the whole inquiry.” 

Once the Prime Minister has approved the inquiry’s final terms of reference it will be officially established and begin its work.