Mental health toolkit
The Mental Health Toolkit may be used by any primary care professional or general practice in the UK. It is designed to collate resources which inform and support delivery of high quality mental health care in the primary care setting. It is arranged by clinical topic, and there are also sections collating important national and international guidelines and key documents for those involved in service design and commissioning. Patients, carers, and GPs concerned about their own mental health, may also find the toolkit useful.
Strategic and commissioning resources
Health and Social Care Board Northern Ireland - The Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) plans and develops services for people with mental health needs, in partnership with the Public Health Agency.
Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 (2017) - The Scottish Government's approach to mental health from 2017 to 2027 – a 10 year vision. This is supplemented by the Mental Health programme for Government delivery plan (2018) which sets out the approach to the mental health commitments made in the Strategy.
National Suicide Prevention Alliance - This website hosts suicide data sets and information on policy and strategy to use as a resource for service development and planning.
NHS England – Mental Health Commissioning - This website carries the approach to, and structue for, mental health commissioning in England.
NHS England and NHS Improvement (2018) - This guidance sets out the policy initiatives and strategic context for transforming perinatal mental health care. It explains why this transformation must be a priority for commissioners, providers and sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) and integrated care systems (ICSs).
NHS Long Term Plan (2019) - Set out in 2019, the Long Term Plan looks at the priorities for development of care – including mental health – over five years.
NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan 2019/20 – 2023/24 (2019) - This implementation plan builds on the 5 Year Forward View for Mental Health (2016) and looks to ensure that the NHS provides high quality, evidence-based mental health services to an additional 2 million people. It sets ambitious goals to improve mental health services.
NHS Wales – Mental Health Commissioning - This site explains the structue of, and responsibilities for, mental health commissioning in Wales.
Public Health England – Alcohol, drugs and tobacco: commissioning support pack - The aim of this commissioning support guidance is to help commissioners and local authorities develop joint strategic needs assessment and health and wellbeing strategies to reduce the harm caused by drugs and alcohol.
Scottish Government – Mental Health Strategy 2017 – 2027 - A collection of resources for Scotland’s mental health strategy.
Scottish Government – Mental Health Strategy 2017 – 2027: First Report - This is the first progress report on the Mental Health Strategy 2017 to 2027.
The King’s Fund (2020) Mental health and primary care networks. Understanding the opportunities - This report explores the opportunities the development of primary care networks (PCNs) creates for improving the support and treatment provided to people with mental health needs in primary care.
Together for mental health: our mental health strategy (2012) - The Welsh strategy for mental health; the basis for further documents such as the Mental health delivery plan 2019 to 2022 and Together for Mental Health Delivery Plan 2019 - 2022: impact assessment.
The King’s Fund (2022) - This site offers and overview of, and links to, key policies, reports and resources in mental health. There are a variety of documents, podcasts and blogs to make the information accessible.
Welsh Government - This is a summary of guidance to provide effective services for substance misuse treatment in Wales.
Wales Mental Health in Primary Care (WaMH) - This organisation brings together people with an interest in improving and developing mental health in primary care in Wales. The collaboration is between mental health practitioners, professionals, agencies, organisations, carers, service users and their friends and family.