PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFING: Mental health in primary care

As the largest staffing group in the NHS mental health workforce, nursing staff play a key role in the delivery of services, including in primary care settings, whether they are, for example, mental health nurses embedded in GP practices or those working in the free standing Primary Care Mental Health Services.

There is clear evidence that mental health services have been struggling for a long time. The national standard is that 90% of people referred for psychological therapy should start treatment within 18 weeks. However, this standard has never been met. Similarly, more than 20% of young people wait more than 18 weeks for access to CAMHS treatment and the 90% national standard has again never been met.