Abstract
SummaryPublic mental health involves a number of important elements relevant to psychiatrists. This includes estimation of the level and impact of unmet need for treatment of mental disorder, prevention of mental disorder and promotion of mental well-being particularly in higher-risk groups. In the UK, the majority of people with mental disorder receive no intervention. This is despite the large impact and costs of mental disorder and existence of cost-effective interventions which result in economic savings even in the short term. Furthermore, spend is virtually absent for interventions to prevent mental disorder and promote mental well-being despite prominence within government policy and a good evidence base. At a time of budget cuts, local information about level, impact and costs of such unmet need as well as effective interventions are important to accurately inform the required investment for treatment of mental disorder, its prevention and promotion of mental well-being. Information about impact of interventions including economic savings across a broad range of sectors can also be estimated. This article summarises recent public mental health commissioning guidance which provides such information.
Highlights
Joint health and well-being strategies, which set out the local strategy and the priorities identified by the health and well-being board to tackle the needs identified in their joint strategic needs assessments (JSNAs), which require accurate information about level of unmet mental health need
The following four areas of public mental health intelligence are relevant to both psychiatrists and JSNAs: local levels of mental disorder and well-being, including in higher-risk groups local levels of risk and protective factors
Due to the wide impact of mental disorder and wellbeing, public mental health interventions improve a range of National Health Service (NHS), public health and social care outcomes,[1] resulting in improved mental health, physical health, life expectancy, healthy lifestyles, resilience, economic productivity, social functioning and quality of life
Summary
Summary Public mental health involves a number of important elements relevant to psychiatrists. This includes estimation of the level and impact of unmet need for treatment of mental disorder, prevention of mental disorder and promotion of mental well-being in higher-risk groups. In the UK, the majority of people with mental disorder receive no intervention This is despite the large impact and costs of mental disorder and existence of cost-effective interventions which result in economic savings even in the short term. At a time of budget cuts, local information about level, impact and costs of such unmet need as well as effective interventions are important to accurately inform the required investment for treatment of mental disorder, its prevention and promotion of mental well-being.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
