New mental health information added to neighbourhood statistics web site Information about the number of adults accessing specialist mental health services in England has been published at administrative regional level for the first time today by the NHS Information Centre (NHS IC).

Today's dataset complements the Mental Health Bulletin published by The NHS IC in November 2009. It presents information at Government Office Region and Local Authority level, rather than health geography level (Strategic Health Authority and Primary Care Trust) as published in November.

For the first time, the data will be part of the Neighbourhood Statistics web site, managed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and help build a wide yet detailed picture of the health and social characteristics of the population.

Tim Straughan, NHS Information Centre Chief Executive, said: “It is important that different strands of information can be brought together to give us a more holistic picture of the population in England. Access to mental health information is invaluable to building this picture.

“Providing this information at different regional levels will also help those who plan and commission services to gain a more accurate understanding of how mental health services are used by their population.”

Judith Jones, Deputy Director of the ONS Centre for Regional and Local Statistics, said: “The publication of Specialist Mental Health Services information on Neighbourhood Statistics, together with other local area datasets already available on the website, will provide users with an important means of increasing their understanding of communities.”

A link to the neighbourhood statistics web site, where today's data can be accessed, is at: pubs/ns-mhmds0809