Responding to the Centre for Mental Health and NHS Confederation study on moving mental health care into the community, Stephen Jones, RCN Head of Nursing Practice, said:

“As this study shows, there simply is not the provision to match the rising demand for mental health services. The consequences of this are dire. Patients in crisis are forced to attend overcrowded and stressful hospitals, while overworked and understaffed nursing teams deal with waiting rooms spilling over into corridors.

"The sensible move is to urgently invest in community mental health nursing to avoid patients reaching crisis point. This would not only allow them to live with dignity in their community but also alleviate the incredible pressures on the NHS that are pushing nurses to their limit. The government is right to focus on moving care into the community, but now is the time for action."

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