The mental health sector has a long history of moving care from hospitals to community environments.

Building and integrating community and neighbourhood models of mental health services has been essential in supporting people with mental illness to live independent, fulfilling lives. However, we know that as a health and care service we have a long way to go to meet the needs of people with mental ill health, with too many people waiting too long for the right care and support or spending too long in hospital unable to access the right community package of care.

This session will provide perspectives and learnings of how the mental health sector has developed models of care in the community, and what they have learned through this process. You will hear from leaders who have transformed pathways to deliver improved services for patients, and providers involved in designing the 24/7 neighbourhood health pilots that aim to deliver fundamentally different services within the community.

With reflections and learnings relevant to all parts of the health and care system, a panel of experts will consider what more needs to be done to ensure services can continue to meet the needs of our patients and communities while building an NHS fit for the future.