Responding to the government’s priorities outlined by His Majesty The King at the State Opening of Parliament, Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“There is one standout policy here on health: reforms to create a smokefree generation. That will have huge long-term benefits for the health of the nation. But beyond that, there is little in this King’s Speech for the NHS, and leaders will be exasperated that mental health reform has again been kicked into the long grass.

“While there are some positives including a recommitment to tackling waiting lists and boosting the workforce, health leaders will be particularly disappointed at the lack of commitment to taking forward the Draft Mental Health Act Bill. Parts of the current outdated act from 1983 not only make the lives of those experiencing a mental health crisis much harder, but worsen health inequalities. While there may well be record levels of investment in mental health services, with over 1.4 million on waiting lists, these services are a long way from where they need to be. Reform is long overdue, and this is another missed opportunity.”