A major research award has been secured to evaluate a pioneering approach to mental health support across Wales, aiming to improve access, patient experience and outcomes for people in need of care.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the £3.4m Programme Grant for Applied Research will support a national evaluation of open access mental health services over four years.
The move to open access services, designed to give people faster, more flexible support when they need it, comes in response to growing demand and long waiting times for mental health support.
Under the new model, people will be able to access support without traditional referral routes, receive help on the same day they ask and choose the type of support that best meets their needs.
The Open Access Mental Health Support programme evaluation is being led by NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, working in partnership with the Centre for Trials Research (CTR) and the School of Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University, Swansea University, the University of Northumbria, Public Health Wales, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and ProMo-Cymru.
This grant will support Wales to become the first country in the world to test an open-access mental health system, giving people same-day support and greater choice in care, with the potential to transform mental health outcomes.
People with lived experience will play a central role throughout the research via patient panels and stakeholder groups, shaping the study and ensuring the work reflects the needs of communities across Wales.
Ciara Rogers, National Director of Mental Health, Learning Disability and Neurodiversity for NHS Wales Performance and Improvement said: “While evidence suggests that early intervention and greater choice through an open access model can improve outcomes, this approach has never been evaluated at national scale.
“This substantial investment will allow us to understand whether open access mental health services are truly making a difference for people in Wales by improving access to support, enhancing experiences of care and delivering better outcomes.”
Dr Rachel McNamara, Director of the Brain Health and Mental Wellbeing Division, CTR and co-Chief Investigator for the evaluation said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with colleagues across the NHS, academia, the third sector and Experts by Lived Experience to evaluate implementation of open access mental health services in Wales, in line with our mission to promote evidence-informed interventions for mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
Tony Cope, Expert by Lived Experience and co-Chair of the Mental Health Research and Evidence Network, added: “The NIHR funding for the Open Access Mental Health Support programme evaluation is a vital opportunity to understand what genuinely works for people using mental health support, and why.
“I welcome this investment in evidence that values lived experience, strengthens learning across Wales, and helps shape services that are more accessible, responsive and rooted in what matters to people.”
The evaluation supports delivery of the Welsh Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025 - 2035, which includes a commitment to improving access to open access mental health support.
Notes to editors
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
• Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
• Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
• Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
• Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
• Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
• Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.