Back in April, nearly 5,000 people signed our letter to NICE*. We were asking them to change their guidance so that people leaving hospital get followed up within 48 hours.

I wanted you to know that NICE have now looked at the evidence**. Sadly they decided a change isn’t needed based on the evidence we gave them.

Their guidelines state that everyone leaving hospital should be followed up within 7 days, or 48 hours if a risk of suicide has been identified.

We’re disappointed, but we will carry on asking local health services to do better.

Many of you took part in our survey and told us you were not involved in planning your care after leaving hospital. We’ve created a new booklet to help you or your loved ones.

Download the booklet ‘Planning for Recovery’

This booklet is for anyone leaving hospital after a mental health crisis. It will help you take part in your discharge and care planning, think about what you need, know what to expect, and where to find support.

And we’ll keep campaigning to make sure everyone gets the right care and support after a mental health crisis.

Take care,

Zara

Mind Policy and Campaigns

PS. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time for you to take our survey and share your experiences of leaving hospital.

* The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care.

**The NICE evidence review is available to read on their website