NHS Ten-Year Plan Consultation

What does your organisation want to see included in the 10 Year Health Plan and why?

BABCP response:

Our key priorities over the next 10 years for the NHS would include:

• Increase protection for patients and the public by ensuring interventions delivered only by qualified and registered/accredited practitioners – particularly in psychological therapies
• Only evidence-based interventions e.g.CBT - implementing NICE guidance – psychological therapies emphasis on equity of access for minoritised populations; dose, intensity, frequency and modality
• Prioritise staff wellbeing -in resources available, caseload size and complexity, clinical supervision and leadership
• Public health education–understanding of evidence-based mental health care, accessible prevention/early intervention.
• Equity of esteem, rapid access, across age groups and individual differences -– tackling barriers for people with protected characteristics; financial hardship and lack of community and social resources; in different geographical locations with specific differences – particularly intersections of these.

What does your organisation see as the biggest challenges and enablers to making better use of technology in health and care? 

BABCP response:

• Ensure equity, for excluded people – such as unable to use technologies (ability, education, age) reduces choices for willing patients who need support, hardware, data etc. to access digital services. Co-creation with representatives of general population helps ensure equitable access. – Concern that otherwise may exclude or create more barriers for vulnerable groups. Need for widespread education for using digital technologies, equipment, genuine IT support and continued updating.
• Ensure appropriate and adequate training, and good change management to build staff confidence. Skilled project management and commissioning of new technologies, building in ‘future proofing’ as developments happen. Challenges in system usability infrastructure and integration between different services/ platforms -time-consuming, difficult to use, or inequitable for people with disabilities.
• More choice and efficiency with online and digital tools for appointments, monitoring health/symptoms, (with appropriate support); ensuring all can access it. Evidence supports using computer-assisted CBT, digital apps monitoring progress and accessing appointments remotely – but may be pressure to reduce choice if ‘cheaper’ options in the short term. Implementation should be firmly based on offering evidence-based choices and transparency about outcomes.
• Trust and Privacy Concerns: top priority is data security and patient confidentiality- must meet ethical, legal standards. Taking ‘fail safe’ steps to ensure this with increased reliance on technology.

What does your organisation see as the biggest challenges and enablers to spotting illnesses earlier and tackling the causes of ill health?

BABCP response:

• Raising socio-economic circumstances, increasing connectedness in different communities, reducing inequalities in the population - particularly impact of long term conditions and mental health. 
• Education - early education, public education about mental health - how to find what works
• Resources available when and where needed - builds that services will be there when they are needed, based on evidence of what works- actually likely to reduce demand.
• Children and young people should be a key focus for investment, - implementing service transformations to ensure rapid access to evidence based interventions, supporting parents - ensuring equitable pay & conditions for staff
• Prevention of psychosis. Related resource: The Role of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in the management of Psychosis (Cureus)
• Prevention of relapse in depression. Related resource: The effect of CBT and its modifications for relapse prevention in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Quick to do, that is in the next year or so 

BABCP response:

• Review outcome measurement in psychological therapies/ mental health in general, - offering genuine choice of evidence-based interventions - funding services not only based on measures of ‘reaching recovery’ but equally based on satisfaction, moving in the patient’s valued direction and quality of life.
• Require rapid access to actual interventions, -which will reduce cost and increase benefit – Appropriate, culturally humble and trauma-informed- services with minimal different assessments before interventions –
• Funding community-based care services so that people can afford to work in care services
• Offering mindfulness as part of personal development in schools, promoting drinking fresh water during the day at school and ensuring that everyone coming to school has free or (genuinely) affordable healthy foods.
• A ban on advertising gambling
• Bans on advertising foods which are not nutritious or healthy