DoH: Care has improved

Care for people with mental health needs has improved over the last few years, the Department of Health has insisted.

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said crisis resolution and home treatment (CRHT) teams are improving care but are not reaching their full potential due to a lack of resources and staffing.

Almost a third of teams have no dedicated consultant psychiatrist input and fewer than half have dedicated input from approved social workers.

In response, health minister Ivan Lewis said there has been a 55 per cent increase in the number of consultant psychiatrists in the last eight years and "record levels of investment".

"I am encouraged that the NAO has found that [CRHT] teams are benefiting patients by providing care where and when people need it while reducing pressure on the NHS by cutting unnecessary admissions," he added.

"We recognise that not all teams currently have a dedicated psychiatrist. However, we have been working with mental health trusts to address this deficit and around half of the teams which the report identified as lacking a dedicated psychiatrist now have one in place."