Positive impact

There is growing evidence to show the positive impact that improving mental well-being can have on health and social and economic outcomes, but little is known about how this important and emerging agenda is developing within localities.

Today’s report, Public mental health and well-being – the local perspective, examines local leaders’ perceptions of public mental health and well-being, the progress they have made, how they are acting on recent evidence, and how addressing mental illness and improving mental well-being go hand in hand.

The report, which has a foreword from care services minister Paul Burstow and parliamentary under secretary of state for public health Anne Milton, is based on interviews and focus groups with: 

Evidence

It makes clear the strong evidence base for improving local environments, intervening in the early years where necessary, supporting parents, working with schools to help improve mental well-being and taking action to reduce health inequalities. And it sets out the evidence base for improving mental well-being while providing case studies of what is already being done in many local areas across England.

Opportunity

With the health and social care system undergoing such fundamental change, there is a massive opportunity to give mental well-being the priority it deserves. Getting it right will require:

• strong local leadership and joint working
• better data
• making the evidence available
• implementing evidence.

Mental Health Network comment

Mental Health Network director Steve Shrubb said: “The people who run health and social care – from the minister’s office to the GP surgery – have made it clear how important mental well-being is to not just public health but a range of other policy goals such as employment, education and the environment.

“This report builds on that commitment and sets out the clinical, financial and social case while highlighting what is already being done in many local areas.

“With the economy facing such uncertainty and the health and social care system facing such major change, there is a huge will and opportunity to push this agenda forward and improve well-being in local communities.”

Read the report

Download Public mental health and well-being – the local perspective from our publications library.

Event

Publication of the report coincides with our Wellness services event in partnership with the National Mental Health Development Unit and the Faculty of Public Health, focused on the increasing interest and practice in combining public health lifestyle programmes into more holistic wellness services.