Service design and development
Guidance and care pathways
At the NCCMH, we are committed to encouraging positive changes to mental health service design. We have a tried and tested approach to new service design and development to support health care leaders in service development.
Our freely-available resources include a service design report for young adults services, commissioning guidance for equality in mental health care services and commissioning guidance for co-production.
Case study - Community Mental Health Framework
The NCCMH developed the Community Mental Health Framework for NHS England in 2019. It aims to enable the Long Term Plan’s ambition for new and integrated models of primary and community mental health care, which will support adults and older adults with mental health problems, to be achieved.
Since then, the Framework has been implemented across the country, driving the largest national change to community mental health provision in 30 years.
The Framework set out a new structure for place-based community mental health care, which can provide whole-person and whole-population health approaches. At the heart of the Framework is a ‘core’ community mental health service, combining primary care provision with secondary care community mental health teams and residential care. That core is built around existing GP practices, neighbourhoods and community hubs. Implementation of the Framework means that people with mental health problems would be able to:
Access mental health care where and when they need it, and be able to move through the system seamlessly
Have a good quality assessment at whatever point they present, and access evidence-based interventions at the location most suitable to their needs
Step up to more specialist care when needed, including crisis and inpatient care, as well as specialist residential care or dedicated eating disorder services
Access physical health care, advocacy services, community assets (such as libraries, leisure and social activities and faith groups), support groups, employment, education, volunteering and training services, housing and social care services, and help and advice on finances and benefits, when they need them
Manage their condition or move towards individualised recovery on their own terms, surrounded by their families, carers and social networks, and supported in their local community (as pictured in the graphic)
Contribute to and be participants in the communities that sustain them, to whatever extent is comfortable for them
The Framework laid the foundation for NHS England’s Community Mental Health Transformation, which is now fully underway, with the aim of enabling at least 370,000 adults and older adults per year nationally to have greater choice and control over their care, and to live well in their communities.
We have produced a wide range of speciality-specific frameworks and care pathways in the UK and abroad. These pathways are based on the latest evidence base, are co-produced with patients, families and carers and have the expert input of our faculties. Click the links below to find out more about our frameworks and pathways:
Urgent/ intensive children and young people services
Example care pathway infographic created by the NCCMH ↑
