Informing the Mental Health Strategy for England: Call for Evidence Document

The document is a UK government call for evidence designed to help shape a new cross-government mental health strategy for England as part of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. It argues that mental health should be addressed not only through healthcare services but also through broader policies involving education, employment, housing, social care, and community support. The strategy is built around three major shifts: moving care from hospitals into communities, making better use of digital technology, and focusing more on prevention rather than responding only after problems become severe.

A major theme is improving community-based support and reducing reliance on hospital care. The government seeks evidence on how mental health services can work more effectively with schools, employers, local authorities, voluntary organisations, and wider NHS services. Particular attention is given to supporting people with severe and enduring mental illness, improving transitions between services (such as from child to adult care), and ensuring that autistic people and people with ADHD receive support that is responsive to their needs.

The document also explores the role of technology in mental health care. It asks for evidence on how digital tools, data, and artificial intelligence can improve access to support, deliver more personalised care, and complement traditional face-to-face services while remaining safe and inclusive. Alongside this, the government highlights concerns about rising rates of mental health difficulties, particularly among young people, and seeks examples of effective prevention strategies that can reduce mental illness, improve wellbeing, and lower suicide rates before crises develop.

Finally, the call for evidence focuses on reducing inequalities and improving outcomes for vulnerable groups. It invites organisations, professionals, and people with lived experience to share examples of good practice and recommendations on funding, workforce development, commissioning, and accountability. The government emphasises the importance of tackling barriers faced by groups such as ethnic minority communities, LGBT+ people, care-experienced individuals, women affected by violence, and neurodivergent people, with the overall goal of creating a more integrated, preventative, and accessible mental health system across England. Responses will help inform the strategy's development and implementation.

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