The Government’s plans to expand community mental health services across England provide a vital opportunity to improve access to earlier, closer-to-home care.

We’re ready to work with the Government to help deliver this ambition by drawing on the skilled counselling and psychotherapy workforce already in place.

The £343 million investment will see up to 159 new NHS mental health facilities open from this autumn, including 100 community mental health centres and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments. The expansion represents an important step towards creating more accessible, preventative mental health services in communities.

Investing in the existing counselling workforce

The counselling and psychotherapy workforce has an important role to play in delivering these plans.

The challenge is not a lack of qualified counsellors and psychotherapists – it’s ensuring sustainable funding and commissioning arrangements are in place to make the most of the workforce already available.

By working together and ensuring the right expertise is in place, these new services can help more people access timely, effective support in their communities.

Counsellors and psychotherapists ready to support communities

Dr Lisa Morrison, BACP Chief Regulation and Standards Officer, said:

"We welcome and support the government's commitment to expanding community mental health support and helping people access care before they reach crisis point. Thousands of our members are already doing lifesaving work in the heart of many communities; we know thousands more have capacity to help expand these new services and deliver the Government’s important ambition for an NHS which is there for everyone when they need it.

"To ensure the success of this programme, there is an urgent need for NHS England to utilise the existing, trained counselling and psychotherapy workforce to provide the additional expertise for the rapid delivery of these vital neighbourhood services.

“We acknowledge the priority that this Prime Minster and Health Secretary have both placed on mental health so early in their tenure with this impressive investment.

"We'll be reaching out to the Department and local health leaders to offer our support and advice to ensure the workforce is in place to deliver this much needed commitment."