With this in mind, in September 2023, we carried out an insight survey to find out about current practices and help shape and inform future support offered through Partners in Care and Health.
Directors of adult social services in each council were sent a link to the online questionnaire via email at the start of September 2023. A total of 71 completed surveys were received, giving a response rate of 46 per cent.
This report conveys the findings from the survey which cover three main aspects:
The survey has allowed us to understand the progress and challenges being made by councils in the commissioning and delivery of adult mental health services, recognising areas of good practice that we can learn from and share.
These have been grouped into themes, each with recommendations for future work.
While most councils feel involved as a valued partner in the community mental health transformation programme in their area, a significant number feel that their influence is limited and the impact on local mental health services is variable.
The importance of strong local programme management that enables engagement of key partners is highlighted, recognising the time and capacity that this requires.