CTM projects part of national evaluation on pioneering open access mental health support across Wales

Two new mental health projects being developed in Cwm Taf Morgannwg will contribute to a national research programme aiming to improve access, patient experience and outcomes for people in need of care.

A major research award 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 evaluation will include two Cwm Taf Morgannwg trial schemes, known as demonstrator projects, supporting adults and children across Cwm Taf Morgannwg.  These projects are testing new approaches to improving access to mental health support.

The adults' project, delivered jointly by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Mind, is testing whether people with mental health needs who call 111#2 can access the right help from the right service first time, based on an assessment of their needs. A trained member of staff will take time to talk with the person over the phone, listen to their main concerns and help identify the most appropriate support, which may include direct intervention or signposting to other relevant services. This approach reduces the need for people to communicate their story to multiple professionals.

Alongside this, the "Here and Now" project is testing a new way of helping children, young people and families receive specialist psychological support at the earliest opportunity. The project provides flexible access to help when they are ready to engage, encouraging them to identify the issue that matters most to them at that time. Families can receive as much or as little support as they need, while benefiting from greater choice, timely intervention and an active role in shaping their care. You can read more about this project here.

Learning from both the adult and children and young people's projects will contribute to learning and outcomes evidence as part of the national evaluation. In doing so, the teams in CTM UHB are helping to shape the future design of mental health services across Wales.

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 at Newcastle, 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.

Dr Andrea Davies, Clinical Director for Psychological Services at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, said:

“Prevention and early intervention are key priorities for us. This evaluation is an important opportunity to understand what works best for people, how early intervention, and new approaches to assessment and care can improve experiences and outcomes, and how we can ensure help is available when it is needed most."

“There are areas of significant deprivation within the communities we serve, so ensuring equitable access to high-quality services is crucial to improving outcomes for our population. We are delighted to be contributing to national research that could help transform mental health services both for local people and 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.

14/08/2026