The government has published its new Co-occurring mental health and substance use delivery framework, setting out a national plan to improve how services support people living with both mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
The framework aims to create more joined-up, trauma-informed and person-centred care pathways across the health and social care system.
Priory, as the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and working-age adult social care services, strongly welcomes this renewed national focus and the opportunity it presents to strengthen integrated support for people with the most complex needs.
Priory CEO Rebekah Cresswell, who discussed the importance of treating addiction as a co-morbidity with mental health during a meeting this week with Labour MP Sojan Joseph, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health, has welcomed the new framework.
For too long, people with dual mental health and addiction needs have faced fragmented pathways, often navigating separate services in isolation at the point they need coordinated, compassionate support
“We have been calling for a more integrated national approach for some time now and set it out as a core policy priority area for the government last year.
“As the UK’s largest independent provider of mental health, addiction and working-age adult social care services, we see first-hand how closely linked these conditions are and how essential joined-up care is to long-term recovery.
“We have been delivering integrated models for many years - combining clinical expertise with digital tools, trauma-informed practice and outcome-led pathways across the entire patient journey - and we welcome this renewed national focus on addressing co-occurring needs.”
Cresswell added: “The framework provides an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration, improve access and ensure that people with the most complex needs receive high-quality, person-centred support at every stage of their recovery.
“We are well positioned and ready to work with government, NHS England, integrated care boards and local authorities to support implementation and look forward to joining discussions over the coming weeks and months."