We鈥檙e pleased to see that mental health will be added into the remit of the COVID-19 public inquiry.
The inquiry鈥檚 Chair, Baroness Heather Hallett, has written to the Prime Minister with recommendations to expand the draft Terms of Reference to include the impact on mental health and wellbeing of the UK population.
We wrote to Baroness Hallett last month calling for the mental health to be urgently added into the inquiry鈥檚 remit.
Our call was backed by 25 other organisations, representing more than 80,000 therapists.
Our Head of Policy and Public Affairs Martin Bell said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to see that Baroness Hallett has listened to this campaign for mental health to be included in the inquiry.
鈥淭his was a powerful call from organisations representing those who鈥檝e seen first-hand the mental health impact of the pandemic and played a critical role in support vulnerable communities over the past two years. These strong voices have been heard and acted on.
鈥淲e hope the inclusion of mental health in this inquiry will ensure lessons are learnt and shape future mental health support and investment, and responses to any other pandemics.
鈥淲e鈥檇 like to thank Baroness Hallett for publicly supporting this call in her letter to the Prime Minister and to the other organisations who backed our campaign for mental health to be included in the inquiry.鈥
Baroness Hallett鈥檚 recommendations came after a consultation on the terms of the inquiry, which received more than 20,000 responses.
She has also asked the Prime Minister to expand the terms of reference to include children and young people (including the impact on health, wellbeing and social care education and early years provision) and the collaboration between central government, devolved administrations, local authorities and the voluntary and community sector.
A statement on the inquiry鈥檚 website also said: 鈥淏aroness Hallett has also recommended that the Terms of Reference be reframed to put inequalities at its forefront so that investigation into the unequal impacts of the pandemic runs through the whole inquiry.鈥澛
Once the Prime Minister has approved the inquiry鈥檚 final terms of reference it will be officially established and begin its work.
Urgent call for mental health to be added into COVID-19 inquiry鈥檚 remit
Our letter to the Chair of the Public Inquiry into COVID-19 has been signed by 23 organisations
We call on Minister to deliver critical investment in therapy
Our roundtable examined the mental health impact of COVID-19 and how to respond to it