Member

There are unacceptably long waits for community mental health. There are nearly 15,000 people waiting over 18 months for community mental health treatment, which is eight times as many as for physical health treatment, yet the Government’s 18-week referral to treatment standard applies only to physical health conditions and not to mental health. It is true that there are serious challenges methodologically in measuring mental health waits, and we have to be careful not to introduce a target that distorts clinical behaviour. However, if we are serious about parity of esteem, I urge the Government and all others to consider how to improve mental health waiting times and, indeed, the reporting of them. New clause 37, in the name of my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock, addresses some of those challenges by requesting that the Secretary of State reports on the adequacy of community services for people with autism and learning disabilities. She is absolutely right to highlight that, and it is the same for all patients subject to the Mental Health Act.