News of a real-term funding rise (拢29 million) to NHS England is welcome - but it must deliver meaningful investment in counselling and psychotherapy services and training.

鈥淭his is the only way to achieve parity of esteem between physical and mental health,鈥� says our Parliamentary and Public Affairs Officer, Jenny Smith.

鈥淥ur 72,000 members have a central role to play in advancing the government鈥檚 agenda, including the prevention of ill health, access to support in the community, and helping people back into appropriate and fulfilling work.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e waiting to see specific details about how mental health services will benefit from this uplift. It's essential that this is clearly spelled out in the upcoming NHS Ten Year Plan,鈥� she adds.

Clear incentive to fund services

There鈥檚 a clear, economic incentive to fund mental health services properly. Evidence shows that poor mental health impacts business productivity and is a barrier to people getting and staying in work. Mental ill health in England is estimated to cost the economy 拢110 billion every year.

Similarly, the roll-out of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) across 100% of schools in England should use trained counsellors to ensure children and young people don鈥檛 fall through the gaps between MHSTs and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs). This will support the government鈥檚 鈥渢hree shifts鈥� agenda, bringing care into the community and prioritising the prevention of ill health.

Welcome focus on children鈥檚 services

We鈥檙e pleased there鈥檚 an increased focus on early intervention in children鈥檚 services, including a commitment to the Families First Partnership programme, giving families and children access to better local support, including counselling.

Jenny said: 鈥淎t a time when demand for mental health services is soaring, news of increased funding for the NHS and Education is very welcome. However, we still need to see the detail to understand how counselling and psychotherapy can be sustainably embedded into NHS provision, education, community and workplace settings.

鈥淥ur members work across the NHS, employee assistance programmes, third sector, and in private practice, yet the counselling and psychotherapy workforce remains largely under-utilised.

鈥淲e鈥檒l do all we can to engage with Government to make a robust case to ensure they recognise the critical role our members could play if investment was earmarked appropriately"