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Schizophrenia: Rehabilitation and Supported Housing

Answer

The Department recognises the importance of timely access to high-quality specialist mental health rehabilitation services and appropriate supported housing for people with complex psychosis, including those with treatment-resistant schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

We have committed to developing a Modern Service Framework for Severe Mental Illness, which will define an aspirational, long-term outcome goal for high quality and equitable care for people with severe mental illness designed to galvanise the whole system. This overarching goal will be underpinned by a set of specific quality commitments that support progress.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning National Health Services that meet the needs of their local populations, working with NHS providers, local authorities, housing partners, and the voluntary sector to support people to live well in the community wherever possible.

NHS England’s guidance for adult mental health rehabilitation inpatient services states that rehabilitation services should be planned as part of a whole pathway and should meet identified local population need. It also makes clear that people who require inpatient rehabilitation care should be able to access that care locally, when needed, in a way that is flexible and responsive to their needs. The guidance also emphasises that services should promote independence, quality of life and social inclusion, and support people to return to live in the community.

This guidance further supports integrated care boards and local partners to develop place-based, multidisciplinary community rehabilitation provision, aligned with primary care networks and wider community mental health transformation. This includes supporting people with severe mental illness and complex needs to receive personalised, trauma-informed care as close to home as possible, with access to the right clinical, social, housing, and employment support.

NHS England's guidance for adult mental health rehabilitation inpatient services states that integrated care boards should understand the needs of people using mental health rehabilitation services, including those in hospital, in out of area placements, or awaiting appropriate supported accommodation. This understanding should inform local planning of inpatient rehabilitation capacity, community rehabilitation teams, supported housing pathways, and discharge arrangements.

Through the Government's new £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, 2026/27 to 2035/36, we will deliver new supply of supported housing across a diverse range of cohorts, including adults with mental ill-health, and housing types. This will support more people to build and sustain their independence and reduce care and incidences of long-term hospital admissions or people remaining in institutional settings.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

10893

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Health services Rehabilitation Supported housing Schizophrenia

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk