Urban allotments, reading groups and computer training for the over 50s are just some of the initiatives featured as part of a new approach to public mental health and well-being.

‘New Horizons’ sets out a dynamic new approach to improving well-being for the whole population, aiming for the first time to create a powerful alliance that can target the root causes of poor mental health.

As well as health services, the response of local authorities and education will be critical. From schools to employers, and the NHS to the criminal justice system, New Horizons makes mental health everyone’s business.

One in six of us experience a mental health problem at any one time. Mental health care has been transformed over recent years, and services in England are now recognised as international leaders, but New Horizons aims to take that even further.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:  “Better mental health and well-being is vital for a healthy society. People with mental health problems are more likely to do other things that damage their health, such as have a poor diet, smoke or take drugs. So promoting good mental health is a key part of tackling many other health inequalities.

“Over the last ten years of the national service framework we’ve transformed mental healthcare but now we want to go further. Our aim is to build on recent achievements, whilst simultaneously taking the next logical step – helping to prevent mental health problems from developing in the first place. New Horizons will help us do this.

“We want to involve everyone in building mentally healthier communities, which is why it is important  that people up and down the country tell us what they think about the ideas set out in New Horizons.”

Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health Services said:  “Around 50% of lifetime mental illness starts before the age of 14 and continues to have a detrimental affect on people’s lives. Potentially half of these problems are preventable.

“The New Horizons vision is about promoting better mental health and well-being. It is also about high quality, responsive services, that intervene early and effectively to lessen the long-term effects of mental ill-health. Services that are focused not only on treatment outcomes, but on wider quality of life issues, strengthened by efforts to promote social inclusion and tackle stigma and discrimination of every kind.”

“Poor mental health is already believed to cost the economy £77billion a year, with predictions that the cost in terms of GDP will double to over 10% by 2026. The indirect costs of poor mental health include poor educational attainment, unemployment and increased crime and anti-social behaviour.”

To contribute to the New Horizon consultation please visit www.dh.gov.uk/mentalhealth.

Download the full document here.