The government has launched a call for evidence to inform the development and implementation of a new mental health strategy for England as the next phase in the 10-Year Health Plan programme of reform.
“This review, chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy, will make recommendations on how we can shift from a mental health system that responds late and through diagnosis, to one that responds earlier, more proportionately and with improving participation in education and work in mind,” the government states.
Practical examples and implementation evidence are being sought to inform a new strategic approach to mental health and implement improvements to outcomes across the life course. Feedback is also welcomed on maximising the impact of existing policies such as community-based mental health services.
An online survey is available for those wishing to submit evidence, asking for views on how mental health services can better work across sectors, insights around barriers to continuity of care, and innovative examples of digital or AI tools being used to improve mental health or support access.
It also looks to understand how data can be used to better inform mental health and wider societal outcomes, which preventative approaches have the strongest evidence for reducing incidence or severity of mental health issues, and factors such as commissioning and funding that support good practice.
Responses should be submitted by 11:59pm on 10 July, 2026. Alongside the call for evidence, the strategy will be informed by an independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism. A separate autism strategy will also be developed and published, according to the government, informed by relevant evidence, reviews, and reports.
Wider trend: Digital and data in mental health services
NHS England has shared that 50,000 eligible adults living with bipolar, schizophrenia, psychosis, or major depression in England and Wales have been invited to the “world’s largest” mental health study looking to promote personalised treatment for severe mental illness. The GlobalMinds study, led by mental health data science company Akrivia Health Ltd in partnership with Cardiff University, will last for three years, and will ultimately expand to include participants from other countries. Detailed questionnaires will be sent out for participants to complete online, seeking to understand what can increase the risk or severity of serious mental health conditions. Information will also be taken from participants’ NHS medical records, allowing for links to be made between genes, background, biology, and mental health.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published three recommendations on the use of AI in mental health and wellbeing, developed during an online workshop event bringing together more than 30 international experts in AI, mental health, ethics, and public policy. Generative AI should be recognised as a public mental health concern, the first recommendation advises, “with commensurate responses across government, health systems, and industry that address all generative AI solutions, not only those intended for mental health”.
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust has introduced three innovations within its digital patient record system to allow for the electronic capture of peer support outcomes. The innovations include the Hope, Agency and Opportunity (HAO) outcome measure, a dedicated peer support intervention tab, and an intended activity SNOMED code. According to the trust, the introduction of these measures means peer support activities and outcomes can be recorded more consistently, building a better understanding of the impact peer support workers have on people’s recovery, and generating evidence to support the development of lived experience roles in mental health care.
