The British Psychological Society launches an online public consultation on its proposals for access to mental health services on Thursday 16 October.

The proposals have been drawn up as part of the Society's response to discussions with the Department of Health (DoH) on future plans for mental health care. Psychologists are calling for a greater emphasis on psychological well-being across the NHS. They call for services to take into account a person's wider social needs as well as their medical diagnosis.

The Society also strongly supports the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for providing psychological therapies and proposes a new national network of centres for psychological health and well-being.

These centres would incorporate mental health services already provided by the NHS. In addition they would incorporate similar services that are currently provided separately by other agencies - including educational welfare, Job Centre Plus, and offender management services.

Professor Peter Kinderman*, chair of the Society's committee for psychologists in health and social care said: "Our report is intended to illustrate some of the ways in which psychologists can help deliver recent Government policies. We welcome the Government's continuing investment in mental health services. However, demand is increasing as professionals and members of the public see the benefits of psychological therapies.

"Psychologists are now recognised as making a major contribution in many areas of life including health, work, education and sport. Our proposals are a confident statement of how psychological science and therapies can help people recover from mental health problems, function better at work and improve their well-being.

"Mental health issues affect one in four adults at some time in their lives. We've launched this consultation because we think it's important to give members of the public the chance to have their say".

The consultation takes place online from 16 October to 11 December at www.bps.org.uk/health-and-wellbeing or email comments to Nigel.Atter@bps.org.uk.

The consultation will help inform The British Psychological Society's work on psychological aspects of mental health policy.

*Peter Kinderman is Professor of Clinical Psychology at University of Liverpool.

The British Psychological Society
http://www.bps.org.uk