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<p>The Government set parity of esteem in physical and mental health in law in the
Health and Social Care Act 2012. The Government further reinforced this commitment
by welcoming the independent Mental Health Taskforce’s Five Year Forward View for
Mental Health report in February 2016. The report set out a strategy for change in
four key areas to drive forward improvements in mental health: promoting good mental
health and helping people lead the lives they want to live, integrating care, creating
a seven-day National Health Service for mental health and hard wiring mental health
across health and social care.</p><p>The Government accepted all the report’s recommendations
in January 2017 and published a detailed action plan for taking forward the recommendations,
including how we will monitor progress and report transparently. NHS England’s Implementation
plan for the Five Year Forward View, published in July 2016, also set out a robust
plan for delivering the commitments set out in the Five Year Forward View for Mental
Health.</p><p>The Government has also set up the first waiting times standards for
mental health, including for those experiencing a first episode of psychosis. Latest
figures show that over 75% of people experiencing their first episode of psychosis
commence treatment within two weeks, exceeding the 50% Early Intervention in Psychosis
target set for 2016/17.</p><p>NHS England’s Mental Health Investment Standard also
requires the local NHS to increase mental health investment by at least the same proportion
as overall allocations. This is planned to be met across England as a whole in 2017/18
and 2018/19. For 2018/19 all clinical commissioning groups will be required to meet
the Mental Health Investment Standard and this will be subject to confirmation by
their auditors.</p>
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