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<p>The Government’s commitment to parity of esteem has been made explicit in legislation,
as well as the NHS Constitution.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We have extended the
legal right to choice in mental health so people with mental health problems will
have the same choice for their care as they do for their physical health.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>We estimate that funding for mental health has increased by approximately
£302 million in 2014-15, total mental health spending rose from £11.362 billion in
2013-14 with £11.664 billion planned in 2014-15.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The
Department and NHS England continue to work together to ensure that there are consistent
messages to commissioners and providers about the importance of delivering parity
of esteem for mental health service users.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Monitor and
NHS England are responsible for setting the national tariff arrangements and are working
together to develop a national payment system for mental health which promotes improving
outcomes and recovery.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Currently, prices for mental
health services are agreed locally. However, mental health clusters have been developed
as the currencies underpinning payment for mental health services.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>Local commissioners and mental health providers are encouraged to use
the clusters as the basis for reaching financial settlements and we know that some
health economies are already using clusters as the basis for payment for mental health
services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Public Health England has also made a commitment
to addressing parity of esteem which includes working to promote good mental health
and preventing mental health problems.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In our new five-year
plan for mental health, <em>Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020</em>,
we identified £40 million additional spending this year and freed up a further £80
million for 2015-16. This will, for the first time ever, enable the setting of access
and waiting time standards in mental health services and includes new targets to make
sure that, by 2016, at least 50% of young people referred for early intervention in
psychosis services will start treatment within two weeks.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There
has been sustained investment in mental health over the course of this parliament.
We have invested £400 million in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT)
for adults and £54 million over the four year period from 2011-2015 in the children
and young people’s IAPT programme to transform child and adolescent mental health
services.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We will also be investing £30m a year over
the next five years in England to improve services for young people with mental health
problems. This will place particular emphasis on eating disorders.</p><p> </p><p>
</p><p> </p><p>We have invested £2 million in nine street triage pilots where police
and mental health professionals work together to support people in mental health crisis
access safe, appropriate care and we have committed £25 million in 2014-15 to commission
10 trial sites delivering on a new standard service specification for liaison and
diversion services in England.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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