Government mental health review calls for earlier help and shorter waits

An independent review published on 9 October 2026 recommends that children, young people and adults should receive mental health, ADHD and autism support based on need — without having to wait for a formal diagnosis first.

The review, commissioned by the Government in December 2025 and chaired by Professor Peter Fonagy with Professor Sir Simon Wessely and Professor Gillian Baird as vice-chairs, found that long waiting lists are actively making things worse. People waiting longer for support see their difficulties worsen more frequently — and the review is blunt about it: that has to change.

The numbers are hard to sit with. In December 2025, more than 254,000 people had an open autism referral, with over 90% waiting longer than 13 weeks. Around 270,000 children and young people were waiting for ADHD assessments — up from roughly 21,000 in April 2019. More than 560,000 people overall were waiting for ADHD assessments. Not a typo.

The Government says it will act on the review’s core finding: that support should reach people earlier, in schools, colleges and local communities, rather than being held back until a diagnosis arrives. Mental Health Support Teams are planned for every school and college in England by 2029, and £7 million has been announced for Early Support Hubs in 2026/27.

The review covers prevention, resilience and alternative support pathways — help before a crisis, not after. But whether any of that lands in practice depends on funding, workforce capacity and how fast services can be reorganised across the NHS, schools and community settings. The review itself makes no claim that waiting times will fall immediately.

No single maximum waiting-time standard currently applies across all community mental health services in England. NHS England does operate a two-week standard for certain pathways, including early intervention in psychosis. It doesn’t extend to the ADHD and autism assessment backlogs this review addresses.

The Government’s formal response to the recommendations is expected in the coming months.

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Government mental health review calls for earlier help and shorter waits Quiz

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Source: @sojanuk

Published: 9 October 2026