More than half of NHS mental health services fall below the standards and 'must improve', shocking figures show

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More than half of mental health services at local NHS groups require improvement, shocking new figures reveal.

Of 209 Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), 106 'need improvement', while 21 have the 'greatest need for improvement', NHS England say.

Only 13 were marked as 'top performing' and 69 were classed as 'performing well', the statistics showed. 

New figures show more than half of mental health services at NHS groups need improvement

Professor Tim Kendall, NHS England's national clinical director for mental health, said significant work was needed.

But he added that a five-year restructuring plan would help more than one million extra people get the support they need.

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said the level of transparency in released data was 'unprecedented for any mental health service anywhere in the world'.

Mental health provision was assessed in two areas - the number of people moving to recovery following treatment, and those treated within two weeks of referral after a first episode of psychosis.

The statistics were released to increase access to evidence-based mental health services which experts hope will kick-start the transformation. 

NHS England say it will allow CCGs to self-assess 'more effectively' and give a support package to those who need it.  

Professor Tim Kendall, NHS England's national clinical director for mental health, said significant work was needed to improve mental health provision

Professor Kendall added: 'We know that performance has improved in recent months meaning people are already getting better access to services and recovery rates are rising across the country.' 

Mr Stevens said: 'These figures for last year transparently lay out the starting baseline against which everyone will be able to judge whether the NHS is getting better in each and every town, city and county across England.'

This comes after figures revealed just one health board was rated as outstanding for maternity services.

Almost three quarters were labelled inadequate or require improvement for safety and overall maternity care under the new Ofsted grading system.

For the first time, all 209 CCGs were graded for maternity based on safety, women’s experience and whether they had a choice on where to give birth.  

The report also found that at the worst CCGs an average of 13 babies per 1,000 die during labour or soon after. 

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