Four practical guides to help current and future commissioners plan and deliver mental health services have been published.

The guides focus on primary mental health care services, services for young people, dementia services and acute liaison services. They have been put together by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) in collaboration with 16 other organisations who form the Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (JCP-MH).

The JCP-MH, which also includes the Royal College of General Practitioners and the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network, began working together in March last year to address concerns about the future of commissioning and create a framework for quality, modern mental health services.

Dr Neil Deuchar, commissioning lead for RCPsych and co-chair of the JCP-MH said: "We know that commissioning mental health services can be challenging, particularly in these times of uncertainty and change.

"By bringing together experts from all parts of mental health – specialist clinicians, social care, providers of all types, service users and GPs – the panel aims help current and future commissioners gain confidence and expertise in ‘values-based’ mental health commissioning."

The guides have already been adopted by many adult social services teams. For example, Terry Dafter, director of adult social care for Stockport Council, described them as a "useful tool and benchmark for commissioners of mental health services".

Steve Shrubb, director of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, which is part of the JCP-MH, said: “We know that there is massive potential for GPs to improve the nation's mental health as they take over commissioning of NHS services. The vast majority of NHS care is offered in primary care and with GPs in control of organising care patients there is a real opportunity to improve care for patients. We also know that many GPs themselves recognise that they do not yet have all the skills they need to commission mental health services. We are really keen to support GPs as they take over their new responsibilities and these guides provide a really important resource which is backed up by the best available evidence.”

A further 10 guides are currently in production covering: addictions services, acute mental health care, child and adolescent mental health services, community mental health services, eating disorder services, forensic services, perinatal services, public mental health interventions, rehabilitation services, and services for older people.