Government policy and the National Service Framework for Mental Health: Modelling and costing services in England

Abstract

The National Service Framework for Mental Health (NSF-MH), published by the Department of Health in 1999, set an ambitious 10-year agenda for improving mental healthcare for working-age adults in England, based on seven quality standards covering all major services. The NSF-MH was supported by a series of other policy documents published by the government. This article illustrates a means of modelling the government's policy for adult mental health services to produce figures for the necessary services, staffing and financial resources required to meet the policy objectives. The findings of a report recently published by the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health, which undertook a detailed assessment of what needs to be done to deliver these standards in terms of service provision, staffing and funding, is summarised and its implications examined.