Study urges launch of walk-in centres

Walk-in community centres offering mental health advice and
access to specialist services are needed to change a system geared
towards risk management and acute illness, a report suggests.

The study, by think-tank the Institute for Public Policy Research,
sets out a vision for services in 2025 and calls for more use of
psychological treatments and wider user choice.

It says reform is needed to meet the needs of people with long-term
or more common mental health problems.

The centres would provide information and support focusing on
physical and mental health and wellbeing and would be a base for
different health, social care and voluntary sector
professionals.

The report also proposes introducing “access workers” as an entry
point into services instead of GPs.

• Mental Health in the Mainstream is available from
  www.ippr.org.uk