Redefining Horizons Strategy

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Strategy for Redefining Horizons Championing Change by Humanising Mental Health

Our Call for Transformation Campaign

This campaign marks the launch of Our Call for Transformation—a ten-year movement to radically shift mental health services towards a more humane, compassionate, and effective community-based model.

1. Introduction: The Need for Change

Background

Over the past 40 years, mental health services in the UK have evolved structurally, but still fail to meet the complex needs of individuals. The last major shift—moving from asylums to community care—was still rooted in medicalised models rather than holistic approaches.

Limitations of the Current Model

  • Low recovery rates – One-third do not recover, one-third relapse, only a third recover long-term.
  • Mild to moderate impact – Clinical treatments alone have limited outcomes, especially for severe conditions.
  • Over-medicalisation – The system emphasises biology over social factors like trauma, poverty, housing, and education.
  • Lack of relational support – Human relationships are key to recovery, yet underprioritised.

A Call for a New Approach

We need a shift to a Whole Person, Whole Life, Whole System approach that considers:

  • Social, psychological, and biological determinants.
  • Structural and cultural barriers to recovery and inclusion.
  • Underinvestment in community-based care leading to harm and moral injury.

2. Campaign Objectives

What We Aim to Achieve

  • Listen to lived experience in service design.
  • Challenge the medical model’s dominance.
  • Shift funding to integrated community support.
  • Build a new workforce model based on real life needs.
  • Promote social determinants as a foundation of care.

Key Actions & Strategies

  • Raise awareness via advocacy, research, and engagement.
  • Redesign inpatient units for therapeutic recovery.
  • Train the workforce in socially-informed, relational care.
  • Build coalitions for long-term change.

3. Transforming Acute & Crisis Services

The current inpatient model is outdated. We need a range of alternative crisis services.

Proposed Solutions

  • 24/7 Community Mental Health Hubs
  • Open Dialogue
  • Host Families and Shared Lives
  • Crisis Houses, Safe Spaces, Sanctuary Houses
  • Support for employment, housing, welfare rights

Improve inpatient care by:

  • Limiting units to 10 places max.
  • Targeting 14-day stays max with proper community support.
  • Focusing on recovery, not risk alone.

4. Strengthening Community Mental Health Teams & Hubs

  • Include community developers, housing, and employment experts.
  • Use peer-led and trauma-informed approaches.
  • Expand 24/7 hub model UK-wide with local focus.

5. Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

Who We Need to Engage

  • Service users & families
  • Mental health professionals & NHS leadership
  • Academics, researchers, local authorities, emergency services
  • NGOs, human rights groups, media, and policymakers

How We Will Engage

  • Distribute campaign documents
  • Conduct and share research
  • Promote best practices online and in-person
  • Host national and regional events, e.g.:
    • Whole system strategy workshops
    • Annual conferences
    • Learning sets for alternatives

6. Monitoring & Evaluation

Six-monthly impact reviews using KPIs:

  • Growth in community crisis services
  • Fewer inpatient admissions & shorter stays
  • Greater investment in social support
  • Better cross-sector collaboration
  • Annual public reports with policy input

7. Long-Term Impact & Outcomes

Expected 10-year campaign results:

  • Shift to a holistic care model
  • Broad support from stakeholders and citizens
  • Better social and clinical outcomes
  • Decentralised, therapeutic crisis care
  • Skilled workforce in community mental health
  • Policy shifts towards social care priorities

Timeline

  • Years 1–2: Awareness & Coalition-Building
  • Years 3–5: Pilot Projects & Evidence
  • Years 6–10: Policy Change & Adoption

8. Call to Action: Join Us in Championing Change

The UK’s mental health system needs a radical shift. Let’s build a humane, effective, community-based alternative. Join us to humanise mental health.

9. Supporting Evidence

Key Documents

Partners