The Joint Commissioning Strategy for Mental Health has been developed through the Dudley Mental Health Partnership Board working together with people with mental health support needs, carers and providers of services.

 

Dudley Council and the Primary Care Trust are responsible for the commissioning of specialist services for people with mental health in the borough many of which are provided by the Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Trust.

 

The strategy is based on a new approach to mental health which focuses on prevention and considers good mental health to be as important as physical health.

 

According to the Department of Health around one in four people will suffer from a form of mental illness at some point in their lives and one sixth of the population suffers from a common mental health problem at any one time. Six million people in Britain have depression or anxiety disorders and more than 1.3 million older people suffer from depression or other mental illness.

 

 

“Mental ill health not only causes untold personal suffering and distress but also affects people's relationships, ability to work and family life and can also lead to a range of physical health problems.

 

“We get the best results with early identification and treatment and to achieve this services will focus on early intervention to prevent deterioration and reduce admissions to hospital and care homes.

 

“There will be an emphasis on access to a range of services and therapies to support people to remain in their communities as well as quality in-patient residential treatment facilities to promote recovery.”