A call for evidence has opened to inform a new 10-year mental health plan to level up mental health across the country and put mental and physical health on an equal footing.

It has been reported that around one in five adults in Britain experienced some form of depression in the first three months of 2021, over double pre-pandemic figures. The call for evidence will improve understanding of the causes of mental ill-health, listening to people who have interacted with services and those who know and support them, to draw on ‘what works’. This will support the development of a plan which aims to prevent and mitigate the impacts of risk factors on mental health and suicide, particularly for groups who experience disparities.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on people across the country. While we continue to expand and transform our mental health services under the NHS Long Term Plan to meet rising demand, we know we need to go further.

“Too many people, particularly our children and young people, do not have the tools and support they need to look after their wellbeing or prevent mental health problems from escalating. We all have a role to play in resetting the way we approach mental health and our new 10-year plan will set an ambitious agenda for where we want the mental health of the nation to be a decade from now.”

The call for evidence, which will close on 5 July, seeks to build consensus on the priority actions needed to collectively reduce the number of people who go on to develop mental health conditions, especially for children and young people and communities at greatest risk.

It is actively seeking views on several key questions which will be addressed in the plan including:

•     How can we all promote positive mental well-being?
•     How can we all prevent the onset of mental ill-health?
•     How can we all intervene earlier when people need support with their mental health?
•     How can we improve the quality and effectiveness of treatment for mental health conditions?
•     How can we all support people living with mental health conditions to live well?
•     How can we all improve support for people in crisis?