Mental health is everyone’s business, and as the world continues to change at an accelerating rate, we must already be working on the treatments of tomorrow. In spite of our best desires we are not likely to get rid of mental illness altogether but we can work towards better mental health for everyone. Working with patients in a collaborative way is the first key step. In addition, as social demographics change, we must embrace new technologies. Putting more power into the hands of patients may well hold the answer. 

A recent report by the Mental Health Foundation suggested that effective mental health care in the next three decades should focus on new ideas and fresh ways of working with new technology. One idea may be to give patients their own records on a USB stick. This enables patients to take control of their own information, potentially leading to improved and more efficient information sharing, better awareness, and more effective outcomes.

With rapid expansion in social media we also have the possibilities of providing support and even therapies using tele-mental health. There are possibilities of therapies without therapists – especially web-based cognitive behaviour therapies. Technology must also be utilised by professionals to help share good models of practice and implement these wherever possible.