Liaison Psychiatry Annual Survey

NHS England is leading a project to build capacity and capability across Liaison Mental Health Services within Emergency Departments in Acute Trusts, in line with key Five Year Forward View for Mental Health (MHFYFV) recommendations, and as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan. The Annual Survey of Liaison Psychiatry in England aims to drive this ambition through mapping the current provision of care provided by Liaison Mental Health Services. Commissioned annually, the Survey of Liaison Psychiatry in England places a particular focus on the composition of Liaison Mental Health teams and on how patient needs are met across different age groups. The previous three runs of the Survey achieved very high response rates from services across Trusts (95% in 2013-14, 100% in 2014-15, 98% in 2016-17 and 100% in 2017-18 and 2018-19), painting an accurate picture of the provision of Liaison Mental Health Care. The annual surveying cycle allows for monitoring and observing changes in liaison service coverage year-on-year, thereby helping to inform investment strategies and to tailor the national and regional support offer to drive the expansion of such services. The intelligence gathered through the Survey will help monitor year-on-year change in Liaison Mental Health provision in response to allocated Transformation Funding across England, thereby driving the overall ambition of ensuring all acute hospital emergency departments have such services in place, with at least 50% functioning at the Core 24 model, providing care 24/7 by 2020/21, moving to 70% by 2023/24.