MHM's response to Interim Prevalence report It turns out the people asking for help aren't the problem. The system is.This week, the Department of Health and Social Care published the interim report from its Independent Review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism. The findings support everything we've been saying.On ADHD, the report states:"The available evidence suggests a more complex position than simple over- or underdiagnosis."The casual use of overdiagnosis as a catch-all explanation causes real harm to neurodivergent people seeking support, and this report reflects that.On mental health, the report is equally direct:"The relevant question is not whether distress is authentic, but whether it is being understood and responded to in the most appropriate way."The idea that people are exaggerating or fabricating mental health difficulties is not backed up by the evidence. What the report finds instead is a system overwhelmed by demand, leaving people to fall through the cracks as a result.The report goes on to acknowledge:"Increasing numbers are presenting to systems that are not always well configured to sort, prioritise and support them efficiently."We welcome that acknowledgement. But if the evidence is pointing this clearly in one direction, the government's decision to redefine the Mental Health Investment Standard and deprioritise mental health points firmly in the other. A system already struggling to meet demand will not be fixed by standing still. Manage Cookie Preferences