Sign in

Tom Pollard

@pollardtom.bsky.social
5.3K followers 1.1K following 473 posts

Head of Policy, Campaigns & Public Affairs at Mind | NHS Mental Health Social Worker | Previously at NEF & DWP | Views expressed here my own

PostsRepliesMedia
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
You can read our report, 'Opening Doors: Ending the wait for better mental health support', that makes the case for same-day open access here, then join our 'See Me Now' campaign to help us make this vision a reality 2/2 www.mind.org.uk/news-campaig...
mind.org.uk
See Me Now | Mind Campaigns
See Me Now is our campaign to transform the future of mental health support. Everyone should have access to mental health support on the day they reach out.
010
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
"No long waits anymore for mental health support growing up" So good to hear this from @andyburnham.bsky.social today At @mind.org.uk, we believe the best way to respond to rising need is a 'same-day open access' mental health system, rather than more rationing and gatekeeping 1/2
162
Reposted by Tom Pollard
Gemma Byrne @gemmabyrne.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A&E can be a frightening environment for anyone in mental health crisis, let alone a child. Making them spend more than 12 hours there is simply unacceptable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Children as young as six going to A&E in mental health crisis
NHS emergency departments are seeing more cases of self-harm, eating disorders and emotional distress in young people.
012
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
We propose following Wales's lead & moving towards 'same-day open access' support, ensuring people are properly heard & understood much earlier so they can be directed to the right support You can read the full report & join our campaign here: www.mind.org.uk/news-campaig... 6/6
Image of report cover: 'Opening doors: Ending the wait for better mental health support'
021
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
As demand for support has risen, while funding has failed to keep pace, these narrow pathways have become increasingly backlogged People are stuck waiting for support that may not even be right for them. Rationing services is exacerbating demand rather than managing it 5/6
151
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The report argues that a fundamental barrier to better support is the current model of access Most people enter the system via a short initial interaction with a GP that tends to lead to a limited set of narrow clinical pathways, often involving long waits for support 4/6
130
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
We also spoke to adults & young people with lived experience of mental health problems about whether their interactions with services reflected what we heard from professionals It was clear that too many people had struggled to get timely access to the support they needed 3/6
Quotes from people with lived experience of mental health services:

“I left the hospital feeling worse than when I came in.”

“I was just in a circle of having no one that actually took responsibility for helping me. It ended in me being sectioned, which I think was entirely avoidable.”

“Out of all my experiences with different healthcare professionals, the ones that really stick out are not necessarily the people that are the most educated about what I suffer with or anything like that. They’re just the people that just sit and properly listen.”
140
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The report is based in part on a survey of mental health professionals we conducted, with around 800 NHS respondents Alongside the deeply concerning quantitative findings that emerged, it's the quotes from professionals that really bring home the scale of the challenge 2/6
Quotes from mental health professionals: 
“…constant pressure to move people through services at the expense of building trusting therapeutic relationships – [the] idea that we just ‘do an intervention’ and then send the person on their way.”– Psychiatrist. 

“It often feels like firefighting, I get so upset that I do not have the resources available to provide the care, support and treatment that is needed.”– Mental Health Nurse. 

“I sometimes feel like I’m working with one hand tied behind my back, with the constant pressure to prioritise waiting lists rather than the individuals on them.”– Psychologist.

“They say it’s a job that you have to love to do, but how can you love
it when you can’t even deliver what needs to be delivered. It has turned staff into machines that just apologise for the lack of funds and move on.”– Mental Health Nurse
151
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
There's a huge gap between the quality of care mental health professionals want to deliver & the reality of the services many work in Today's new @mind.org.uk report argues that, in the face of rising levels of need, we need to rethink how people access mental health support 1/6
Chart showing the gap between the percentage of NHS respondents to a Mind survey who said certain principles were essential or very important to high-quality mental health services and the percentage who felt their service is delivering on this principle most of the time or always. For 'Providing access to support as soon as possible when someone needs it' this was 98% vs 46%. For 'Being able to respond to people’s level of need and provide an appropriate level of contact'  it was 98% vs 55%. For 'Supporting people with their wider physical and social needs (such as housing, benefits, employment, relationships)' it was 88% vs 46%. For 'Understanding and responding to the impact of past trauma that service users may have experienced' it was 96% vs 58%. For 'Working with people’s families and other important people in their lives to create a supportive social network' it was 89% vs 53%.
164
Reposted by Tom Pollard
Prof Ruth Patrick @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Late to share (cos life) We need to talk more about fact UK still has a Benefit Cap, & one that causes real, lasting harm, while ascribing the thousands of families affected with a power they do not have. 📖 New article on @nuffieldfoundation.org funded research www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
An impossible move? Households’ experiences of trying to escape the UK’s benefit cap | Journal of Social Policy | Cambridge Core
An impossible move? Households’ experiences of trying to escape the UK’s benefit cap
13827
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
"The simple fact is that mental health services haven’t kept pace with rising demand" Great to hear this from @andyburnham.bsky.social Today's announcement of new neighbourhood mental health centres is a positive step towards a more open access model of support www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Burnham: 'Mental health system piles pressure on NHS - this needs to change'
New Prime Minister Andy Burnham writes for The Mirror as the government announces "a major expansion of NHS mental health services so people can get help earlier and closer to home"
194
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
People with mental health problems often wait too long for (or never get) a really good conversation about why they're struggling & what help they need I've written for @newstatesman1913.bsky.social on how a 'same-day open access' model could transform outcomes www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/20...
newstatesman.com
A cup of tea can determine whether people get the help they need
A "Same-Day Open Access" model could transform outcomes for people with mental health problems – but only if Westminster starts to value relationships
163
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
I subsequently worked with @wearenewlocal.bsky.social to set out how a devolved model of employment support, following the right design principles, could much more effectively meet the needs of people facing complex barriers, including disabilities 5/5 www.newlocal.org.uk/publications...
newlocal.org.uk
This Isn't Working: reimagining employment support for people facing complex disadvantage - New Local
Over 2 million people are out of work due to health conditions and disabilities. But each year, only 4% move into employment. This Isn't Working, argues that support for this group should lie with loc...
181
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
I wrote about this 'benefit lens', as well a crushing risk aversion & a lack of imagination about how things could be done differently, in this @demos-uk.bsky.social paper about my time on secondment at DWP. The paper called for much of DWP's functions to be devolved 4/5 demos.co.uk/research/pat...
demos.co.uk
Pathways from Poverty
Demos is Britain’s leading cross-party think-tank. We produce original research, publish innovative thinkers and host thought-provoking events.
193
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Too often, people were assumed to be simply trying to maximise their benefit claims & minimise their engagement with employment support. Systems were designed to avoid fraud & guarantee a minimum level of compliance. As a result, they mostly failed to be engaging or enabling 3/5
181
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Fortunately, during my time on secondment at DWP (2016-2018) I didn't hear directly discriminatory or belittling language as alleged in the piece above. But I did struggle against an entrenched & distorted worldview where everything is seen through the lens of benefit claims 2/5
150
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
If Burnham does look to devolve much of the DWP's current remit, as seems likely, he should use that as an opportunity to try to tackle deep-rooted cultural & institutional issues in the department that have constrained & distorted policy thinking & delivery for too long... 1/5
11912
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Account was hacked - it wasn't my post
100
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 12/06/2026
Account was hacked - it wasn't my post
000
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Important work by @rcpsych.bsky.social, @natfednews.bsky.social & Look Ahead on the impact that a shortage of appropriate housing has on the ability of mental health hospitals to move people safely back into the community www.independent.co.uk/news/health/...
independent.co.uk
Why UK housing issues are ‘putting strain’ on mental health services
In February 2026, patients waiting for supported housing accounted for 23% of all mental health delayed discharge days, according to a new report
252
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Helping people with poor health back to work is a hugely complex challenge, requiring a compassionate response focused on support & opportunity. Trying to shortcut the problem with crude cuts to benefit eligibility will do nothing to fix the underlying problems 4/4
192
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
In any case, people don't get additional benefits because of a diagnosis. It's based on functional assessments of how their health/disability impacts on their ability to work and live independently. For most people this will be the impact of multiple health conditions 3/4
172
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
People with the same diagnosis have very different experiences of the impact on their ability to work, often based on wider circumstances. The fact that good work can be good for you is no basis to claim that specific conditions are 'non work-limiting', as the report suggests 2/4
152
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
This proposal from the Tony Blair Institute shows a complete misunderstanding of both mental health & the benefits system. Declaring some conditions 'non work-limiting' is a discriminatory & simplistic response to a hugely complex challenge 1/4 www.telegraph.co.uk/business/202...
telegraph.co.uk
You are seeing this page because our security systems have detected some unusual activity on this connection. To regain access to The Telegraph website please try the following:
12911
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
The scandal at St Andrew's hospital should be a watershed moment for the quality of mental health inpatient care, but it's far from clear it will be. Important intervention from @mind.org.uk CEO @drsarahhughesceo.bsky.social in @hsj.co.uk on what needs to happen next www.hsj.co.uk/patient-safe...
hsj.co.uk
If cancer services were as bad as some mental health care, there would be outrage
Concerns over patient safety at St Andrew's reflect wider systemic pressures, including staffing shortages, outdated facilities, and limited alternative care provision
183
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
Important moment this morning as @mind.org.uk CEO @drsarahhughesceo.bsky.social gives evidence to the Covid-19 Inquiry on the impact of the pandemic on people with mental health problems, mental health services & the mental health of the nation. Watch from 10am here: youtube.com/@ukcovid-19i...
youtube.com
UK Covid-19 Inquiry
This is the independent public inquiry to examine the UK’s preparedness and response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and to learn lessons for the future.
073
Reposted by Tom Pollard
New Economics Foundation @neweconomics.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
NEW: The government wants to boost employment among people who receive universal credit - but our analysis suggests a lack of good-quality jobs is making this near impossible. And, in some local authorities, there’s as few as 5 vacancies for every 100 people on universal credit…
There are less than 5 job vacancies in rotherham for every 100 people claiming universal creditIn Pendle and Hartlepool there are around 5 job vacancies for every 100 people claiming universal credit
11916
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Pieces like this from @drgavinfrancis.bsky.social point to a compassionate, sensitive & constructive debate we could & should be having about how we understand & respond to mental health, in contrast to the crude, boorish way 'overdiagnosis' is usually discussed www.theguardian.com/news/2026/fe...
theguardian.com
‘What I see in clinic is never a set of labels’: are we in danger of overdiagnosing mental illness?
Our current approach to mental health labelling and diagnosis has brought benefits. But as a practising doctor, I am concerned that it may be doing more harm than good
272
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 02/02/2026
The second part of this correction gets it wrong again - the 83% stat Milburn was referring to seems to come from 2019 research about the proportion of people showing some warning signs of poor mental health (e.g. feeling stressed, struggling with sleep) in the last year www.gov.uk/government/n...
0145
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
As with the 83% 'stat', it feels like the conviction that this is just a matter of self-concept, self-efficacy & incentives is once again leading the thinking of key figures, without any firm evidence being presented of causal relationships or any real curiousity about alternative explanations
160
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
It's a shift from claiming that "everyday experiences" are being "overdiagnosed" as anxiety & depression, to saying that people do have those conditions but it's "normal" & isn't a real barrier to working People should absolutely be supported to work where possible but this is denying their reality
280
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Some really unhelpful comments in this interview with Alan Milburn, particularly: "Anxiety is normal. Depression is normal." And the claim that 83% of the population could be diagnosed with a mental health problem at any given time It's simply not good enough when stigma is rising again...
Cover of the Times from today, with the top headline saying "Anxiety 'to cause a lost generation on benefits '", based on an interview with Alan Milburn
1187
Reposted by Tom Pollard
Ben Baumberg Geiger @benbgeiger.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Job opportunity - we need a fab new colleague to do quant research on work, welfare and mental health within @kingscsmh.bsky.social (closes 8 Feb) This is funded until Apr/28, but we'll support you in bids to extend it - please do circulate to suitable ppl! www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DQD294/p...
jobs.ac.uk
Postdoctoral Research Associate in Work, Welfare & Mental Health at King's College London
Apply now for the Postdoctoral Research Associate in Work, Welfare & Mental Health role on jobs.ac.uk - the leading job board for higher education jobs. View details.
1514
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Media & political noise about "overdiagnosis" has ramped up this year, crowding out more thoughtful & constructive debate about how we should respond to rising levels of mental distress. Mind CEO @drsarahhughesceo.bsky.social points us back in the right direction here www.hsj.co.uk/mental-healt...
hsj.co.uk
The toxic overdiagnosis narrative is a distraction from the mental health crisis
Rising mental distress demands evidence, compassion and reform, not culture wars, denial or barriers to support for young people, writes Sarah Hughes
0132
Reposted by Tom Pollard
Dr Uisce Jordan @uiscejordan.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Stacey from @changingrealities.bsky.social has written such an honest blog about why, even with awful trolling, she won’t stop speaking up for people living in poverty www.changingrealities.org/blog/why-i-w...
changingrealities.org
It was a lot. I didn’t realise I’d be placed all over social media. I thought it would be just a couple of pictures for something, but it is what it is now. I have thought about it a lot this morning and I had to put my thoughts down on paper.
01310
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
It's right to explore what's driving increased prevalence & what support people need. But as @johnharris1969.bsky.social says, in "a country in which questioning other people’s needs is almost becoming a national sport" the government risks stoking a toxic debate www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
The right’s callous overdiagnosis bandwagon is rolling. Wes Streeting should not be on it | John Harris
Thankfully, we now know more about conditions such as autism and ADHD. The health secretary must not be part of this attempt to turn back the clock, says Guardian columnist John Harris
0105
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Surprising to see an institution with the impeccable moral integrity of FIFA toadying up to Trump
0143
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
This is a welcome & reflective intervention. 'Overdiagnosis' is a simplistic & stigmatising explanation for what, in reality, is a complex interplay of health, social & economic factors. The focus should be on getting people the right support at the right time www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
I realise now that my view on mental health overdiagnosis was divisive. We all need better evidence | Wes Streeting
The surge in mental ill health is hugely distressing. That’s why I’ve commissioned a review to find out what’s driving it, says health secretary Wes Streeting
0134
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Huge moment to finally see the two-child limit scrapped. It has been a machine for driving up child poverty, which will cost us all more in the long term, scarring the lives of those directly hit by its cruel impact. Credit to everyone who has tirelessly campaigned for its end
0171
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
Finally, the only way to support significant numbers of young people to overcome the barriers they face, particularly around mental health, will be to foster genuine engagement & offer genuine opportunities. Reverting to compliance & cuts again would be a huge mistake /5
0101
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
This means listening to young people directly & accounting for the whole range of social, emotional & economic factors that they have experienced There are some welcome comments on this in McFadden's Times interview, including recognition that this is an "issue of inequality" /4
150
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
One thing I've learnt from frontline practice is that if you start from a position of assuming people are trying their best in the circumstances they're facing, you're much more likely to understand how they have ended up where they are & what might help them to progress /3
170
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
First & foremost, it mustn't start with lazy pre-conceptions about young people's character, motivation & honesty Positive to see Pat McFadden's response to the question of 'overdiagnosis': "I don't want to play amateur doctor. I want to approach this with sensitivity." /2
160
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 09/11/2025
Any genuine attempt to better understand what is going on around young people, unemployment & poor health is welcome, especially as an alternative to rushing to propose further benefit cuts Critical that this review gets some key things right though... 🧵 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Inquiry to review rising levels of youth inactivity
Former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn will lead the investigation, with conclusions set to be published next summer.
2120
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
The full @mind.org.uk report is available here: t.co/9Vf4fyNnD5
t.co
https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health/care-before-crisis-our-report-on-young-peoples-mental-health/
022
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Powerful Sky News piece on the need for better support services for young people's mental health, based a new @mind.org.uk report Long waits for support are impacting young people's mental & physical health, as well as their education & employment news.sky.com/story/mental...
news.sky.com
Mental health affecting education attendance 'for half of young people', says report
A charity providing early intervention and crisis support tells Sky News it's seen an increase in young people using its services since the pandemic.
143
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
.@mind.org.uk's response to Reform's proposals to "cut PIP payments to people with anxiety" in this BBC News piece: bbc.co.uk/news/article... So much of the political debate around PIP betrays a complete lack of understanding of what the benefit is for, who gets it & how it's assessed
Quote from BBC News article: Mental health charity Mind's head of policy Tom Pollard said Reform's plan seemed muddled and did not appear to "bear any relation to how this benefit actually works", not least because PIP is not an out of work benefit.

"People have to prove they face significant health and disability-related barriers in their day-to-day lives to qualify for Pip, and it is not based on diagnosis," he said.

"Anxiety can have a debilitating impact, and many people will also have multiple and complex health issues when anxiety is recorded as their 'primary condition'."
1236
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
PIP is assessed based on the impact of health problems & disabilities (often multiple & complex) on someone's ability to live independently Saying "we'll stop PIP for people with anxiety" just bears no relation to the reality of how the benefit operates www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/10...
3134
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
Coverage of @mind.org.uk's new report on youth mental health Government plans for 50 youth hubs are welcome, but a serious response to the scale of the crisis requires services like this in every local authority, as part of a wider youth mental health strategy www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
independent.co.uk
Government ‘must go further and faster on hubs for youngsters’ mental health’
A report by mental health charity Mind said many young people are reaching crisis point before they receive any kind of care.
062
Tom Pollard @pollardtom.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Heartbreaking figures. The causes will, of course, be complex. But a caricatured debate about 'overdiagnosis' is a dangerous distraction when, as @mind.org.uk's @gemmabyrne.bsky.social says here, over half a million under-18s are on mental health waiting lists www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
theguardian.com
Suicide rates among young people in England rose 50% in 10 years, figures show
Charities accuse government of ‘sliding backwards’ on child mental health after ONS findings
1107