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Written question asked by Bishop of St Albans (Bishops (affiliation)) on Thursday, 24 April 2025, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Friday, 9 May 2025. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Wednesday, 30 April 2025 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Bipolar Disorder: Medical Treatments

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve treatment of people with bipolar disorder.

Answer

It is unacceptable that too many people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, including for people with bipolar disorder. We are determined to change that.

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future, we will provide access to a specialist mental health professional in every school in England, create a network of open access community Young Futures hubs, recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to cut wait times and provide faster treatment, and modernise the Mental Health Act.

We are also committed to new models of care for mental health, including reforming care for people experiencing a mental health crisis. We are testing neighbourhood mental health centres for people aged 18 years old and over with serious mental illness. These six pilot schemes are based in Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Sheffield, York, Birmingham, and Whitehaven.

These pilots will offer 24/7 open access care closer to home, with an integrated service that includes healthcare providers, local authorities, and the voluntary sector. They build on international evidence that shows that similar models have led to a reduction in hospitalisation and waiting times, and support our efforts to move more care into the community.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL6853
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Medical treatments Standards Bipolar disorder
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk