We carry out needs assessments for a range of health conditions, to help us shape local services according to local needs. 

Nationally there is a renewed focus on mental health with national government launching a mental health strategy:

• No health without mental health, in 2011
• Closing the gap: priorities for essential change in mental health, in 2014

Central to closing the gap, is parity of esteem between mental health services and physical health services.

The mental health needs assessment was done to better understand the borough's picture of mental health need and the vision for improving services:

• understand the prevalence of mental illness in Barking and Dagenham and patterns of future need
• consult with key stakeholders including carers to obtain a wide range of views on current services and unmet needs.
• produce an agreed set of recommendations and supporting actions that can be used to improve the state of mental health care in the borough

There has been an increasing focus on mental health in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD). This needs assessment provides the information to map the way forward.