Making a priority of mental health and wellbeing in Nottinghamshire

Abstract

Nottinghamshire has been an early mover in the transition from Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STP) to Integrated Care Systems (ICS) within the NHS in England. As part of that transition, it made a conscious commitment to prioritise the transformation of mental health and wellbeing across the system, through a process involving the whole range of system partners – NHS organisations, Local Authorities, voluntary and community sector organisations and, above all, people with lived experience of mental ill health. We were delighted to be selected to support the STP in developing an integrated, all-age mental health strategy. It gave us a wonderful opportunity to build on the innovative analysis we had undertaken for all 44 STPs, making the case for integrating physical and mental health services. The STP told us that our bid "very much stood out in the crowd" because of its system focus and our breadth of understanding of mental health issues. In conducting the project, we provided some key inputs – baseline data packs, a summary of the relevant evidence-base and a report on stakeholder views – and facilitated a series of design workshops with up to 100 people contributing. Our work, in partnership with local stakeholders, provided the STP with a set of key strategic pillars that are designed to support the STP’s journey towards a transformed future for the mental health and wellbeing of the Nottinghamshire population.