The ‘Improving services for people with mental health needs who present to A&E’ CQUIN and the ‘Transitions out of Children and Young People’s (CYP) Mental Health Services’ CQUIN (Commissioning for Quality and Innovation) aim to incentivise providers to work with partners to improve patient care by delivering services more efficiently and effectively.

People with mental ill health are three times more likely to present to A&E than the general population so the former CQUIN will allow mental health and acute trusts over the next two years to access funding aimed in year one at improving support for the top 0.25% or 150 to 200 people per A&E, who use it most frequently through improved recognition and coding of mental health needs and proactive care planning.

Year two focus will be on reducing overall number of attendances at A&E by people with mental health needs as improved community-based mental health services come online.