Buckinghamshire has received national recognition for its adult community mental health services after being assessed as ‘excellent’ by the Healthcare Commission.

The Healthcare Commission has published its first national review of adult community mental health services, which assessed 174 Local Implementation Teams (LITs) in England against national standards covering access to services, whether care arrangements address a range of needs and the involvement of people in decisions about their care. LITs consist of local mental health services, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and County Councils and are responsible for ensuring services are delivered to a high standard.

Overall, 9% of Local Implementation Teams were rated as ‘excellent’, 45% as ‘good’, 43% as ‘fair’ and 3% as ‘weak’. Oxfordshire was rated fair in the review.

The Trust will now work with colleagues in both counties to address improvements and develop an action plan.