Modelling work predicts that referrals for mental health services will rise by around 20 per cent over the next two years. The response to the increased pressures needs to be system wide and go beyond the NHS. NHS England and NHS Improvement is leading on work nationally to support the increase in demand, and integrated care systems (ICSs) are in the perfect position to coordinate and drive this response locally. Locally, systems need to understand what the demand will look like and explore how services can grow and flex to meet these increasing pressures.

We will hear from NHS England and NHS Improvement about how they are supporting systems, how the transformation of community mental health services will help and how ICSs and the wider system are responding to the increase in demand locally. The session will look at the response to both clinical needs and the wider determinants of mental health.

We will also hear about how Merseycare has undertaken modelling work to estimate the increase in demand for mental health support. The panel will have a broader discussion about systems and their partners will respond to the demand for mental health support.