Monitor: foundation trusts ‘must meet mental heath targets’

12 Dec 14
Health service watchdog Monitor has announced it will consider failure by foundation trusts to meet the government’s new waiting time targets for mental health treatment as a possible breach of licence conditions.

By Richard Johnstone | 15 December 2014

Health service watchdog Monitor has announced it will consider failure by foundation trusts to meet the government’s new waiting time targets for mental health treatment as a possible breach of licence conditions. 

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg set out plans in October to bring the application of mental health waiting time targets into line with other services.

Monitor has today set out how it will apply these changes.

Foundation trusts will be required to report whether they meet these standards on a quarterly basis, and if they materially or consistently fail these targets for three quarters in a year, Monitor said it would treat this as a possible indication of wider problems. It will then consider whether the trust may be in breach of its licence, which could lead to further action in the same way as if patients are consistently waiting too long in accident and emergency departments.

Stephen Hay, Monitor’s managing director of provider regulation, highlighted that the waiting times were important as tackling mental health problems can be very time-sensitive.

‘We know for example that early treatment of psychosis can dramatically improve chances of recovery.

‘These important changes to the way we regulate foundation trusts build on our work to bring mental health standards more in line with the way we regulate other services.’


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