Since the introduction of the National Service Framework for mental health, services have steadily improved in quality, a review shows.
The Healthcare Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection today published their national review of adult specialist community health services.
They say that local implementation teams (LITs) appear to be an effective vehicle for commissioning and delivering new models of community health.
But they add that the pace of improvement and change varies across the UK, leaving some with little access to care and treatment.
The review found 54% of LITs performed consistently well in giving people access to care but the remaining 46% only scored “fair” or “weak”.
The commission says there is room for improvement and hopes that people receiving the care may be able to get more involved in developing their treatment options.
The Healthcare Commission’s Chief Executive Anna Walker said: “Nationally half the teams were performing well, but the other half needed to make significant improvements.
“We are following up our findings with those not performing so well and identifying where improvements can be made on behalf of their users.”
