Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the forthcoming Mental Health Strategy will include measures to improve access to NHS Talking Therapies, and what options will be available to patients for whom a course of treatment has not been effective.

Since coming to office, this Government has recruited thousands of extra mental health staff, increased access to National Health Service talking therapies, started the roll-out of mental health specialists to every school and college in the country, and announced a major expansion of mental health support within the community, with £187 million allocated for 100 community mental health centres, and £156 million for 59 mental health emergency departments.

Later this year, we will also publish our new mental health strategy for England, setting out our plans to transform mental health care into a system that responds earlier, reduces waiting times for support, intervenes earlier, and supports people to stay active and participate in education, work, family, and community life.