July 22, 2010
by Angela Hussain

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All mental health services should be rated on a recovery ‘star’ system, a charity has urged.

Rethink says it has piloted the evidence-based measure which assesses how services's improve people’s self-care and living skills, ability to participate in employment, social networks and relationships, management of symptoms, self-esteem, trust and hope.

"All interventions should be judged on outcomes on the recovery star” says the charity in a new report, Fair Treatment Now.

The report examines how the coalition government’s plans for an outcomes-based NHS framework is a "golden opportunity" to improve recovery rates, as well as reduce death from mental ill health.

The report highlights, however, that in a survey of 251 GPs, only 31% said they had expertise to commission mental health services.

This compared to 75% saying they had the expertise for diabetes, 76% for asthma and 74% for smoking cessation.

"This is a serious cause for concern when there are moves toward increasing GPs commissioning responsibilities,” read the report.

It also highlights how mental health is excluded from healthcare initiatives such as the Choice agenda and Payment by Results.

Including mental health in such initiatives could help deliver better services.

Read for yourself:  Fair Treatment Now (pdf)
See also: Service provision

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