Over one million people attend acute hospitals due to their mental health each year. This briefing maps the evidence showing how these presentations directly impact acute hospital trusts’ performance across multiple NHS Oversight Framework domains including: access to services; effectiveness and experience of care; patient safety; and people and workforce.

Drawing on published evidence from NHS England, the CQC, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, The King’s Fund, The Lancet, and other national bodies, it makes the case for why trusts need a mental health strategy that includes workforce education — and what happens when they don’t have one.