Kier Starmer has said that the next Labour government will guarantee access to mental health treatment in less than a month for all who need it.

Setting out a transformative package to meet what the party says is ‘one of the most urgent needs of our time’, the Labour leader says that his party’s plans will see a radical expansion of the mental health workforce, resulting in over a million more people receiving support each year, alongside unprecedented investment in children’s mental health after the disruption of the pandemic.

Addressing Labour’s conference, Starmer will commit the next Labour government to guarantee mental health treatment within a month for all who need it, setting a new NHS target, ensuring that patients start receiving appropriate treatment – not simply an initial assessment of needs – within a month of referral.

Amongst other pledges, Starmer also says that Labour would recruit 8,500 new staff so that one million additional people can access treatment every year by the end of Labour’s first term in office, as well as put an open access mental health hub for children and young people in every community, providing early intervention, drop-in services. Also, to provide extra mental health support for children and young people, Labour says it will provide specialist mental health support in every school, so that they can support pupils and resolve problems before they escalate.

The opposition party has stated that it will fund the new measures by closing tax loopholes for private equity fund managers and removing the VAT exemption from private schools.

Starmer said: “One of the urgent needs of our time is mental health. Labour will guarantee that support will be available in less than a month and offer treatment to a million more people each year who need it.

“We’ll make sure children and young people get early help, putting specialist support in every school and a mental health hub in every community. This is prevention in action. Helping young people, looking after their well-being.”