Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
"Mental health services have been under intense pressure for many years and it only stands to get worse as the full impact of the pandemic is beginning to be seen in services.
"These new standards will help patients get the treatment they need when they need it by setting more rigorous standards and generating vital data, helping to put mental health on a more equal footing with physical health.
"The standards will only have this impact if matched with similarly ambitious investment and action on the workforce crisis to ensure that no-one has to wait too long for the treatment they need. It's vital the government provides further clarity on how it will support the implementation of these standards as part of the broader recovery from COVID-19."
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896