As Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Mental Health, Jeff is encouraging all constituents with an interest in, or experience of, mental health services to take part in a new parliamentary inquiry.

The inquiry will focus on the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (FYFV-MH), the first ever five-year plan to improve the nation’s mental health.  Launched in February 2016 by Simon Stevens, Chief Executive of NHS England, the FYFV-MH made recommendations on how to achieve parity of esteem for mental and physical health, primarily through focusing on prevention, access, integration, quality and how to create a positive experience of care.

The APPG is a cross-party group of MPs and Peers with an interest in mental health, coordinated by the Royal College of Psychiatry and charity Rethink Mental Illness.  Over the summer, the group is seeking to understand what impact the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health has had so far and what should be included in any strategy after 2021.

Jeff said:

“The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health was a landmark commitment from the Government to achieve parity of esteem for mental and physical health.

At the half-way point in its lifespan, there’s still a long way to go with many people still unable to access the mental health support they need, when they need it.

The APPG will seek to hear from as wide a range of stakeholders as possible to hold the Government to the promises made in the report, and shape the future of mental health services beyond 2021. 

I would encourage everyone, whatever your interest or experience in this area, to make a submission – we want to hear from you.” 

The deadline for submissions is 15^th June 2018, you can find out all the details on how to make a submission by downloading the Call for Evidence here.