25
March 2025
Submission to Inquiry into Community Mental Health Services
The Health and Social Care Committee recently launched an Inquiry into Community Mental Health Services.
The inquiry will examine what good looks like from the perspective of people using these services and their families/carers. It is intended to shine a light on cases of innovative practice and high-quality care across the country.
In our response, we argued that delivering quality community mental health services is dependent on a strong, multi-disciplinary workforce, with mental health social workers at the core. They act as the connective tissue between clinical care, social care, and community resources, ensuring care supports people in a meaningful and sustainable way.
We need to prioritise investment in social workers, not just through recruitment, but by ensuring long-term funding and sustained financial commitment to support the integration of social workers into community mental health teams.