Learning from mental health services to strengthen commissioning

In November 2025, NHS Providers convened a session at its Annual Conference and Exhibition titled Recharging Commissioning – lessons from mental health for system wide impact. In a time of major NHS transformation, this session spotlighted how innovative approaches to strategic commissioning – particularly from the mental health sector – can boost integrated care board (ICB) and provider performance. With a focus on achieving parity between physical and mental health in commissioning, this session offered practical insights for all sectors and supported national discussion on realising the potential of strategic commissioning where collaborative and inclusive practices are embedded. This insight report shares the discussion from the session.

• Mental health

• NHS architecture