How to use this map
A step-by-step guide to the map of mental health services in England and Wales and to the pages around it. Find your question in the contents, or search for a word. The question marks next to the controls of the map lead to the same sections.
1. Start here
What the map is for, what is where on the screen, and how to get help while you use it.
1.1What the map is for
The map is a tool for planning, commissioning and policy. It shows what support is provided, by whom and where, next to figures about the people who live in each area.
It covers mental health services in England and Wales run by the NHS, independent providers, local authorities and the voluntary and community sector.
Every figure says where it comes from. The full list, with what each figure does and does not tell you, is on the Sources and methods page.
1.2What the map is not, and where to get urgent help
It is not a service finder for people seeking support: it does not say whether a service has places or how to be referred.
If you need help now, call NHS 111 and choose the mental health option (in Wales, press 2), or call 999 if someone’s life is at risk. Samaritans are on 116 123, free, at any time.
1.3Three steps to start
Three steps are enough to start: choose an area, switch layers on, open Insights.
Choose an area. Select Filters at the top left of the map, then pick a region, an integrated care board, a local authority or a parliamentary constituency under Area. The map moves there and a panel shows the figures for that area.
Switch layers on. Select Layers at the top right to draw boundaries, to shade areas by a figure such as deprivation or need, or to show A&E departments and the neighbourhood mental health centres.
Open Insights. Select Insights at the top right to see charts, comparisons and gaps for what you have chosen, or to set two areas side by side.
Each of the three steps has a chapter of its own in this guide.
1.4What is where on the map
The map fills the screen. The buttons sit in its corners; panels open over the map and close with the cross (×) in their corner.
Top left: Filters opens the panel where you search for services, filter them and choose an area. When filters are on, the button shows how many.
Top right, from left to right: Insights (figures and charts), a target (back to the whole map), a question mark (this guide) and Layers (boundaries, shading and other places).
Bottom right: a small i that shows the credits of the map, a button that finds your own location, and + and − to zoom.
Bottom left: the scale of the map, in miles.
On the right: the panel of the area you chose, or the card of the service you selected. On a phone these slide up from the bottom of the screen.
1.5The pages of the Observatory and how to reach them
The Observatory has seven pages besides this guide. There is no menu: you reach each page with a button on the map or on another page.
The map – services, areas and layers. Every other page has a Back to the map or Back to Insights button at its top right.
Insights – figures, charts and gaps. On the map, select Insights at the top right.
Compare two areas – two areas side by side. On Insights, select Compare two areas; or choose an area on the map and select Compare in its panel.
Profiles of places – one page about one area. Choose an area on the map and select Profile in its panel.
Directory of organisations – every organisation with its services. On the map, open Filters and select Directory of organisations at the bottom of the panel.
Data security in adult social care (DSPT) – a separate map. On the map, open Layers and select the link under Other maps.
Sources and methods – where every figure comes from. Select Sources and methods at the bottom of Insights, of a comparison, of a profile or of the DSPT page.
The same pages are listed at the bottom of this guide.
1.6The question marks and this guide
A small question mark in a circle sits next to most controls. Rest the pointer on it, or select it, for a short explanation and a link to the full instructions in this guide.
Find the question mark next to the control you want to know about, for example next to Area in the filters.
Rest the pointer on it, or select it. On a phone or tablet, tap it.
Read the short help in the bubble.
For every step, select Full instructions in the bubble. This guide opens in a new tab, at the right section, so your map stays as you left it.
To close the bubble, press Esc or select anywhere else.
What you see: The guide opens at the section you asked for, with a line around it.
The question mark at the top right of the map opens this guide from the beginning.
In the guide, use Search the guide to find a word and Contents to jump to a chapter. Every section has a number, such as 4.2; the bubbles show the same number. Print the guide prints all of it.
Most sections have a picture of the screen, with a coloured frame around the control the section is about. Select a picture to open it at full size in a new tab.
1.7On a phone or tablet
Everything works on a phone. Panels slide up from the bottom of the screen instead of sitting at the sides.
Select Filters at the top left: the filter panel slides up. Scroll inside it to reach every filter.
Select the cross (×) at the top of the panel to see the map again. Your filters stay on.
Move the map with one finger. Zoom by pinching with two fingers, or with + and −.
Tap a dot to open the card of a service. It slides up from the bottom.
On a small screen the Insights button at the top right shows only its chart symbol.
On the Insights page the filters are folded away on a phone: select Filters in the line that starts with “Showing”.
2. Moving around the map
How to move, zoom and find a place.
Open the map2.1Move and zoom
Drag the map to move it. Zoom with the mouse wheel, with + and − at the bottom right, or by pinching on a touch screen.
To move, press and hold on the map, then drag.
To zoom in, roll the mouse wheel forwards, double-click the map, or select + at the bottom right.
To zoom out, roll the wheel backwards or select −.
On a touch screen, move with one finger and pinch with two fingers to zoom.
What you see: As you zoom in, the numbered circles split into smaller circles and then into single dots.
The map covers the British Isles and does not move or zoom out beyond them. The services shown are in England and Wales.
2.2Find a postcode or place
Type a postcode, the first part of one, or the name of a town, then press Enter. The map moves there.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Select the box under Find a postcode or place.
Type a full postcode (LS1 4AP), the first part of a postcode (LS1) or the name of a place (Leeds).
Press Enter, or select the button with the magnifying glass next to the box.
What you see: The map moves to the place and zooms in. The services near it appear as dots and numbered circles.
This only moves the map: it does not filter the services or choose an area. To see the figures of the area around the place, choose the area under Area.
“We could not find that postcode or place” means the spelling needs checking. “That place is outside the area this map covers” means the place is not in the British Isles.
2.3Go to where you are
The button with a small target at the bottom right moves the map to your own location, if you let your browser share it.
Select the button with the target at the bottom right of the map, above + and −.
If your browser asks whether this site may know your location, select Allow.
What you see: The map moves to where you are and marks the spot with a blue dot.
Your browser uses your location only to move the map; the Observatory does not store it.
2.4Go back to the whole map
The round button with a target at the top right of the map takes you back to the view the map opened with.
Select the round button with the target at the top right of the map, between Insights and the question mark.
What you see: The map zooms out to the view it opened with. Your filters and layers stay as they are.
2.5What the dots and the numbered circles mean
A dot is one service. A circle with a number stands for that many services close together: select it to zoom in and see them.
Look at the colour of a dot: blue is the NHS, purple an independent provider, orange a local authority, green the voluntary and community sector.
Select a circle with a number. The map zooms in and the circle splits into smaller circles and dots.
Select a dot to open the card of that service.
The same colours are shown next to Type of organisation in the filters.
When several services share one address the circle cannot split any further: selecting it opens a list of the services at that place.
3. Finding services
How to search for a service, narrow the map with filters and read the card of a service.
Open the map3.1Open and close the filters
Filters at the top left opens the panel where you search, filter and choose an area. The cross (×) closes it; your filters stay on.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Scroll inside the panel to reach every filter: postcode, name, type of organisation, registration, area and type of service.
To see more of the map, select the cross (×) at the top right of the panel.
What you see: With the panel closed, the button shows in brackets how many filters are on, for example Filters (2).
At the bottom of the panel, a line such as “Showing 28 of 1,829 services” tells you how many services match your filters.
3.2Find a service or an organisation by its name
Type part of the name of a service or of the organisation that runs it. The map shows only the services that match, as you type.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Select the box under Search by name.
Type part of a name, for example “Mind”.
Zoom in, or select a numbered circle, until you see the dots. Select a dot to open its card.
What you see: Only the services whose name, organisation or postcode contains what you typed stay on the map. Your search appears as a label, Name: …, above the count of services.
To take the search off, empty the box or select its label.
3.3Filter by type of organisation
Tick one or more types to show only their services. The coloured dot next to each type is the colour of its services on the map.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Under Type of organisation, tick NHS, Independent provider, Local authority or Voluntary and community sector.
Tick a second type to add its services to the map.
Untick a type to take it off.
What you see: The map, the count at the bottom of the panel and the figures of a chosen area now count only the types you ticked.
The number next to each type is how many services of that type the map holds. With nothing ticked, every type is shown.
3.4Filter by whether a service is registered with the CQC
Tick Registered with the CQC or Not registered with the CQC to show only those services.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Under Registration, tick Registered with the CQC or Not registered with the CQC.
What you see: Only the services with the status you ticked stay on the map.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) registers providers of regulated care in England. Many community services do not need to register, so “not registered” says nothing about their quality.
Ticking both boxes shows every service, the same as ticking neither.
3.5Show only members of AMHP
Tick Members of AMHP only to keep on the map only the services run by member organisations of the Association of Mental Health Providers.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Under Registration, tick Members of AMHP only.
What you see: Only services of member organisations stay on the map. Their cards carry the label Member of AMHP.
Untick the box to see every service again.
3.6Show services for children and young people
Tick Works with children and young people to keep on the map only the services marked as supporting children or young people.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Under Registration, tick Works with children and young people.
What you see: Only the marked services stay on the map, and the number next to the box says how many there are. Their cards carry the label Works with children and young people.
A service is marked when its record says so: the Care Quality Commission lists it as caring for children (0 to 18 years), or its name, type or specialism speaks of children, young people or youth. Many of these services support adults as well.
The marking is not complete. Most services that are not registered with the Care Quality Commission have no specialism recorded, so some services for young people are missing from this filter. AMHP can tick or untick the box for any service in the panel.
The same box is on the Insights page.
3.7Include head offices
The map shows places where support is delivered. Tick Include head offices to add the head offices of organisations as well.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Under Registration, tick Include head offices.
What you see: The head offices appear on the map and are counted in every figure. The card of a head office carries the label Head office.
Head offices are left out at first because a head office is often not a place of support. Every organisation is listed with its head office in the Directory of organisations.
3.8Filter by type of service
Open a list under Type of service and tick the kinds of support you are looking for, such as advocacy or supported housing.
Select Filters at the top left of the map.
Scroll down the panel to Type of service.
Select a list to open it, for example Community service type. The number in brackets is how many types the list holds.
Tick one or more types. The number next to a type is how many services offer it.
What you see: The map shows the services that offer at least one of the types you ticked.
A service can offer several types, so it can be counted under more than one.
The lists hold only the types that at least one service on the map offers.
3.9How filters work together, and how to take them off
Ticks in the same filter widen the search; ticks in different filters narrow it. Each filter you choose appears as a label: select a label to take that filter off.
Choose filters in the panel. Each one appears as a label at the bottom of the panel, above the count of services.
To take one filter off, select its label (it ends with a small ×).
To take every filter off, select Clear filters next to the count.
What you see: The line “Showing … of … services” changes with every filter.
An example: ticking NHS and Local authority shows services of either type. Ticking NHS and choosing an area shows NHS services in that area only.
Filters also change the figures that are counted from the map, such as the four boxes at the top of an area’s panel.
3.10Open the card of a service
Select a dot to open the card of that service: who runs it, what it offers, how to contact it and which area it is in.
Zoom in until you see single dots, or select a numbered circle to zoom in.
Select a dot.
Read the card on the right of the map (on a phone, at the bottom). Scroll inside it to see everything.
To close the card, select the cross (×) at its top right, or press Esc.
What you see: The card shows the type of organisation, the name of the service and of its organisation, whether it is registered with the CQC and a member of AMHP, its types of service, its contact details and its area.
All services of this organisation opens the directory at that organisation.
If something on the card is wrong or out of date, select Suggest a correction at the bottom of the card.
3.11Several services at one place
When several services share one address, selecting their circle opens a list. Select a name in the list to open that service’s card.
Select the numbered circle. If the services share an address, a list opens with a heading such as “3 services at this location”.
Select a name in the list.
To come back to the list, close the card and select the circle again.
What you see: The card of the service you selected opens in place of the list.
3.12“In this area” on the card of a service
The last part of a card says how many other voluntary and community sector services are in the same local authority, and how many people live there.
Open the card of a service and scroll to In this area.
Select See the whole picture of this area.
What you see: The card closes, the map moves to the local authority and its panel of figures opens.
The number of residents comes from the Census 2021.
4. Choosing an area
How to pick a region, an integrated care board, a local authority or a constituency, and what its panel tells you.
Open the map4.1The four kinds of area
You can look at the country in four ways: regions, integrated care boards, local authorities and parliamentary constituencies.
Regions – the seven NHS England regions, and Wales.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) – the NHS bodies that plan health services for their area. England has 42; Wales has none.
Local authorities – the councils responsible for social care: counties, unitary authorities, metropolitan and London boroughs in England, and the councils of Wales.
Parliamentary constituencies – the areas that each elect one Member of Parliament, on the boundaries of July 2024.
The kinds overlap. A service is in one region, one local authority and one constituency at the same time and, in England, in one integrated care board.
4.2Choose an area from the lists
Under Area in the filters, open one of the four lists and select an area. The map moves to it and a panel shows its figures.
Open the map. If the panel on the left is not open, select Filters at the top left.
Scroll down the panel to Area. There are four lists: All regions, All integrated care boards, All local authorities and All parliamentary constituencies.
Select the list for the kind of area you want, for example All local authorities.
Select the name of the area, for example Leeds. You can type its first letters to jump to it.
Wait a moment while the map moves.
What you see: The map zooms to the area. Only the services in the area stay on the map, the name of the area appears as a label at the bottom of the filters, and the panel of the area opens on the right (on a phone, at the bottom).
To choose a different area, select another name in the same list.
To go back to the whole country, select the first line of the list (for example All local authorities), the label of the area, or the cross (×) of the area’s panel.
If you choose areas in two lists at once, the map keeps the services that are in both. The panel then shows the integrated care board first, then the local authority, the constituency and the region.
4.3Choose an area by selecting it on the map
When the areas are shaded by a figure, you can select an area on the map itself.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Area shading, select A figure for each area.
In the first list that appears, choose the kind of area, for example Local authorities.
Close the layers panel with its cross (×).
Rest the pointer on an area to see its name and its figure, then select the area.
What you see: The area is chosen, exactly as if you had picked it from the lists: the map moves to it and its panel opens.
Selecting a dot always opens the service, not the area: select the area where there is no dot.
Selecting the chosen area a second time lets it go.
4.4Read the figures of an area
The panel of an area shows how many services the map has there and the figures held for the area, in groups. Select the name of a group to open or close it.
Choose an area from the lists or on the map.
Read the four boxes at the top: Services shown, Organisations, Members of AMHP and Registered with the CQC. These follow your filters.
Scroll down to the groups, such as Population and Need for mental health care. Select the name of a group to open or close it.
Rest the pointer on a line to see where the figure comes from and which period it covers. The source is also written under each group.
What you see: You see everything the Observatory holds for the area: residents, age, ethnic group, health, deprivation, workforce and more, depending on the kind of area.
Not every kind of area has every figure. Workforce figures, for example, exist for integrated care boards and regions only.
What each figure means is explained on the Sources and methods page.
4.5Need and provision in an area
The box Need and provision sets the estimated number of people likely to need mental health support against the services shown on the map.
Choose an area and find Need and provision near the top of its panel.
Read the first line: the estimate of people likely to need mental health support.
Read the second line: how many services are shown for every 10,000 of those people.
What you see: If the area is among the fifth of areas of its kind with the fewest services for the estimated need, a line in colour says so.
The second figure follows your filters, because it counts the services shown.
The estimate is worked out from the number of residents of each age; the Sources and methods page explains how. Few services for the estimated need shows where to look more closely. It is not a measure of unmet need.
4.6Go further with an area: Insights, Compare, Profile, Share
The buttons at the bottom of an area’s panel open the same area in Insights, set it beside another area, open its one-page profile, or copy a link to what you see.
Choose an area and scroll to the bottom of its panel.
Select Open in Insights for charts and figures narrowed to the area.
Select Compare to set the area beside another one.
Select Profile for a one-page summary you can print.
Select Share this view to copy a link.
What you see: Each button opens its page with your area already chosen.
4.7Share what you see with a link
Share this view copies a link that opens the map on the same area, with the same shading by a figure.
Choose an area. If you wish, shade the areas by a figure in Layers.
Scroll to the bottom of the area’s panel and select Share this view.
The button says Link copied. Paste the link into a message or a document.
What you see: Whoever opens the link sees the map on the same area, with the same shading.
The link carries the area and the shading by a figure. It does not carry the other filters, the boundaries or the deprivation shading.
4.8Leave the area and see the whole country again
Close the panel of the area with its cross (×): the area is let go and the map goes back to the whole country.
Select the cross (×) at the top right of the area’s panel.
What you see: The map zooms out to the view it opened with and shows the services of every area again. Your other filters stay on.
You can also select the label of the area at the bottom of the filters, or choose the first line of its list (for example All local authorities).
5. Layers: boundaries, shading and other places
How to draw the outlines of areas, colour the areas by a figure and show A&E departments.
Open the map5.1Open and close the map layers
Layers at the top right opens the panel where you switch boundaries, shading and other places on and off.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Tick or select what you want to see. The map changes at once.
Close the panel with the cross (×) at its top right. What you switched on stays on.
What you see: The Layers button shows in brackets how many layers are on.
The panel has four parts: Boundaries, Area shading, Other places and Other maps.
5.2Draw the boundaries of areas
Tick a kind of area under Boundaries to draw its outlines on the map. You can tick more than one.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Boundaries, tick Regions, Integrated care boards, Local authorities (upper tier) or Parliamentary constituencies.
Untick a line to take its outlines off.
What you see: The outlines are drawn over the map. A short note under the ticked line says what they are.
Boundaries only draw lines. To keep only the services of one area, choose the area under Area in the filters.
5.3Shade the areas: one shading at a time
Under Area shading choose one way of colouring the areas: none, deprivation, or a figure of your choice.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Area shading (one at a time), select No shading, Deprivation (IMD 2025) or A figure for each area.
What you see: The map is coloured by your choice. Choosing another line replaces the shading; No shading takes it off.
Only one shading can be on at a time, so that the colours always mean one thing.
5.4Show deprivation
The deprivation shading colours every neighbourhood of England by how deprived it is, from the most deprived tenth to the least deprived tenth.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Area shading, select Deprivation (IMD 2025).
Zoom in to a town or to a part of a city.
What you see: Dark red is the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods, dark blue the least deprived 10%. Zoomed out, each council area shows the average of its neighbourhoods; zoomed in, you see the neighbourhoods themselves.
The figures are the English Indices of Deprivation 2025. They cover England only, so Wales is not shaded.
The Insights page counts the services by the deprivation of their neighbourhood.
5.5Shade the areas by a figure
Select A figure for each area, then choose the kind of area and the figure. Darker areas have more.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Area shading, select A figure for each area. Two lists appear under it.
In the first list, choose the kind of area: Integrated care boards, Local authorities, Parliamentary constituencies or Regions.
In the second list, choose the figure, for example Services for every 10,000 people likely to need support. The figures are in groups, such as population, need, workforce, adult social care and deaths by suicide.
Read the line under the lists: it gives the source and the period of the figure and says what it means.
Rest the pointer on an area of the map to see its name and its figure.
What you see: The areas are coloured in five groups, from light to dark, and a legend shows the range of each colour. When you close the panel, the legend stays on the map.
The first group of figures, Services on the map (follow the filters), is counted from the services shown, so it changes with your filters. The other figures come from published sources and do not change with the filters.
Selecting a shaded area chooses that area.
5.6Read the legend of a shading
The legend lists the five colours of the shading with the range of values each colour stands for.
Shade the areas by a figure.
Close the layers panel. The legend stays at the top right of the map, under the buttons.
Match the colour of an area with a line of the legend to read its range.
What you see: Each colour holds about a fifth of the areas, so the map always shows which areas are in the lowest and in the highest fifth.
An area in grey has no figure.
5.7Show A&E departments and other places
Under Other places you add places that are not services of the map: tick A&E departments for the hospitals in England with an accident and emergency department, or Neighbourhood mental health centres for the six pilot sites.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Other places, tick A&E departments.
Zoom in and select a red circle with an H.
What you see: A small card gives the name of the hospital, its address and telephone number, and a link to its page on the NHS website.
The list of A&E departments covers England. It comes from the NHS website, which is not complete, so a hospital may be missing.
Each area also has a count of A&E departments among its figures.
The neighbourhood mental health centres are switched on in the same way: see the next section.
5.8Show the neighbourhood mental health centres
Tick Neighbourhood mental health centres under Other places to show the six pilot sites of NHS England's 24/7 neighbourhood mental health centres.
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Other places, tick Neighbourhood mental health centres.
Zoom in and select a circle with an N.
What you see: A small card gives the name of the centre, who runs it, its address and a link to a page with more about it.
There are six centres: in Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, Birmingham, Sheffield, York and Whitehaven. Opening hours differ from centre to centre, so check the page of the centre.
NHS England also names 16 associate sites but does not list them; they are not on the map.
Each area also has a count of these centres among its figures.
5.9Open the map of data security in adult social care
The link under Other maps opens a separate map: where adult social care locations stand with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT).
Select Layers at the top right of the map.
Under Other maps, select Data security in adult social care (DSPT).
What you see: The DSPT page opens. Back to the map at its top right brings you back.
6. Insights: figures and charts
Counters, charts, a ranking of areas and a list of gaps. Every figure on the page follows the filters at the top.
Open Insights6.1What the Insights page shows
Insights turns the services on the map into figures: eight counters, four charts, a map and ranking of areas, and the areas with the fewest services for the estimated need.
On the map, select Insights at the top right. If you have chosen an area, Insights opens narrowed to it.
Use the filters at the top to focus on a type of organisation, an area or a type of service.
Scroll down: counters first, then charts, then Services by area, then Need, provision and gaps.
What you see: Every figure on the page counts only the services that match your filters.
Compare two areas at the top right opens the comparison page. Back to the map returns to the map.
6.2Filter the figures on Insights
The filters at the top work like those of the map. Choose one or more: every counter, chart and table follows them.
Type a name in Search by service or organisation, or open a list such as All types of organisation, All regions or All types of service and select a line.
Tick Members of AMHP only, Works with children and young people or Include head offices if you need them.
Read the line “Showing … of … services” under the filters.
To take one filter off, select its label. To take them all off, select Clear filters.
What you see: The figures count the services that match every filter you chose.
On this page each list takes one choice at a time.
On a phone the filters are folded away: select Filters in the line that starts with “Showing”.
6.3Read the counters
The eight boxes at the top count the services shown: how many there are, how many are members of AMHP or registered with the CQC, how many areas have a service, and how many are in deprived neighbourhoods.
Services – the services shown, and the number of organisations that run them.
Members of AMHP – the services of member organisations, and their share of the services shown.
Registered with the CQC – and how many are not registered.
Types of service – how many different types the services offer.
Integrated care boards with a service and Local authorities with a service – how many areas have at least one of the services shown.
In the most deprived 30% of neighbourhoods – the share of services in England whose neighbourhood is in the three most deprived tenths.
Outside NHS England regions – the services in Wales.
6.4Read the charts
Four bar charts split the services shown: by type of organisation, by NHS region, by type of service and by the deprivation of their neighbourhood.
Scroll to the charts under the counters.
Read the number at the end of each bar.
Rest the pointer on a bar (on a phone, tap it) to see its exact figures.
In Services by NHS region each bar is split by type of organisation, in the colours of the map.
In Services by neighbourhood deprivation, 1 is the most deprived tenth of neighbourhoods and 10 the least deprived tenth.
6.5Download a chart or a table
Image saves the chart as a picture for a slide or a report. Data saves the figures as a file that a spreadsheet opens.
Set the filters you want: the download holds what you see.
Select Image at the top right of a chart. A picture file (PNG) is saved to your downloads.
Select Data to save the figures as a spreadsheet file (CSV).
What you see: The picture carries the title of the chart, the filters that were on, the source and the date. The data file ends with the same information.
The tables Services by area and Need, provision and gaps have a Data button under them.
The data file opens in any spreadsheet.
6.6Shade and rank the areas by a figure
Under Services by area, choose the kind of area and a figure. The map is shaded by it and the table ranks every area.
Scroll to Services by area.
Select the kind of area with the buttons: Integrated care boards, Local authorities, Parliamentary constituencies or Regions.
Open the list next to the buttons and choose a figure.
Read the map: darker areas have more. The legend is at the top left of the map.
Read the table beside the map: the areas are listed from the highest figure to the lowest.
What you see: The map and the table show the same figure. A note under them gives its source and its meaning.
6.7Focus the page on one area
Select an area on the map or a line of the table: every figure on the page then counts that area only.
Under Services by area, select an area on the map, or select its line in the table.
Scroll up: the counters and charts now count the services of that area. Its name appears as a label among the filters.
To let the area go, select it again, or select its label.
What you see: The whole page is narrowed to the area.
Compare two areas at the top of the page then starts a comparison with that area.
6.8See where a figure comes from
Under the map of Services by area, a note names the source of the shaded figure, its period and what it does and does not tell you.
Choose a figure under Services by area.
Read the note under the map and the table.
Select All sources and methods for the full list.
6.9Read the figures of ONS and Skills for Care
Besides AMHP’s own figures, each local authority has deaths by suicide from the Office for National Statistics and the adult social care workforce from Skills for Care. Read the note under the map before you quote them.
On Insights, select Local authorities above the map of areas.
Open the list of figures and choose one under Deaths by suicide or Adult social care workforce.
Read the note under the map: it gives the source, the period and what the figure does and does not tell you.
What you see: The map shades the local authorities by the figure, and the table next to it lists them.
Deaths by suicide. Compare areas by the rate for every 100,000 people, not by the number of deaths: an area with more residents has more deaths. The figures cover three years together, 2022 to 2024, by the year a death was registered. A difference between two areas can be down to chance where numbers are small, and there is no rate where fewer than 20 deaths were registered. The figure says nothing about how good local services are.
Adult social care workforce. Filled posts, the vacancy rate and staff turnover are estimates by Skills for Care for 2024/25. They cover adult social care as a whole, not only mental health, and England only. Integrated care boards have them too.
If this subject affects you, Samaritans are there at any time, free, on 116 123.
6.10Find the gaps: few services for the estimated need
Need, provision and gaps lists the fifth of areas with the fewest services shown for every 10,000 people likely to need mental health support.
Under Services by area, choose the kind of area with the buttons.
Scroll to Need, provision and gaps.
Read the table: the estimate of people likely to need support, the services shown, and the services for every 10,000 of those people.
If the list is long, select Show all under the table.
Select a line to focus the page on that area.
What you see: You see where the map has the fewest services for the estimated need.
The number of services follows your filters. Filter by a type of service to see the gaps for that kind of support.
A gap here means few services on this map for the estimated need. It is not a measure of unmet need.
7. Comparing two areas
Two areas of the same kind side by side, with the average of all areas.
Open Compare two areas7.1What the comparison page shows
Choose two areas of the same kind to see their services, people, need and other figures next to each other.
On Insights, select Compare two areas at the top right. Or choose an area on the map and select Compare in its panel.
Choose the kind of area and the two areas.
Read In short, then the table.
What you see: The two areas stand side by side, with the average of all areas of that kind as a third column.
The comparison counts every service on the map. It does not follow filters.
7.2Choose the two areas
Pick the kind of area with the buttons, then one area in each of the two lists.
Select the kind of area: Integrated care boards, Local authorities, Parliamentary constituencies or Regions.
Open the first list and select an area.
Open the second list and select the other area.
What you see: The comparison appears under the lists as soon as both areas are chosen.
Changing the kind of area empties both lists. An area chosen in one list cannot be chosen in the other.
7.3Add or remove the average
The tick box under the lists adds the average of all areas of that kind as an extra column.
Tick or untick the box that starts with Add the average of all.
What you see: The column Average of all … appears in the table, or leaves it.
On a phone the average starts switched off, so that the two areas fit the screen.
7.4Read the comparison
In short says the main differences in plain words. The table under it gives every figure for both areas.
Read the sentences under In short.
Scroll through the table. The figures are in groups, such as services, population and need.
Rest the pointer on a line to see the source and the period of the figure.
7.5Print the comparison or send it as a link
Print or save as PDF prints the comparison on its own. The address of the page keeps your choice, so you can also send it as a link.
Choose the two areas.
Select Print or save as PDF at the top right. In the print window, choose a printer, or choose to save as a PDF.
To share instead, copy the address from the address bar of your browser and send it.
What you see: The printed page holds the title, the summary and the table, without the buttons.
8. Profiles of places
One page about one area: a small map, key figures, how the area compares, and its services.
Open Profiles of places8.1What a profile is
A profile is one page about one area, put together from the live figures each time it is opened. It is made to be printed or saved for a meeting, a bid or a board paper.
Choose an area on the map and select Profile at the bottom of its panel.
Or open the list of places and select a name.
There is a profile for every region, integrated care board, local authority and parliamentary constituency.
8.2Find a place in the list
The list holds every place, by kind of area. Type part of a name to shorten the list, then select the place.
Open Profiles of places.
Type part of a name in Search for a place, for example “Leeds”.
Select the name under the right heading: a town can be a local authority and also part of the name of a constituency.
What you see: The profile of the place opens.
8.3Read a profile
From top to bottom: a map of the area with its services, six key figures, how the area compares with the average, every figure held for it, and the list of its services.
Look at the map and the six key figures at the top.
Read Against the national picture: sentences that set the area against the average area of its kind.
Scroll through the table: each figure of the area next to the average of all areas.
At the bottom, Services in this area lists every service. Select a name to open it on the map.
A profile counts every service the map holds in the area. It does not follow filters.
8.4Print a profile or go further
The buttons and links at the top print the profile, open the area on the map or in Insights, or compare it with another area.
Select Print or save as PDF to print the page or to save it as a PDF.
Select Open on the map to see the area on the map.
Select Open in Insights, Compare with another area or All places under the title.
9. Directory of organisations
Every organisation on the map, with its head office, its website and its services.
Open the directory9.1What the directory holds
The directory lists every organisation with its head office, its website, whether it is a member of AMHP, and its services, each linked to the map.
On the map, select Filters, then Directory of organisations at the bottom of the panel.
Or, on the card of a service, select All services of this organisation.
What you see: The directory opens. From a card it opens already narrowed to that organisation.
9.2Find an organisation in the directory
Type part of a name, choose a type of organisation or tick the box for members of AMHP. The list shortens as you go.
Type part of the name in Search by name.
To narrow further, open All types of organisation and select a type, or tick Members of AMHP only.
Read the line “Showing … of … organisations”.
If nothing matches, try fewer words.
9.3Read an entry and go to a service
Each entry gives the organisation’s type, its head office and its website, and the number of its services on the map.
Find the organisation.
Select the line that says how many services on the map it has. The list of its services opens.
Select the name of a service.
What you see: The map opens on that service, with its card.
10. Data security in adult social care (DSPT)
A separate map: where adult social care locations in England stand with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.
Open the DSPT page10.1What the DSPT page shows
The page shows adult social care locations registered with the CQC and where each stands with the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), from the report whose date is under the title.
On the map, select Layers, then the link under Other maps.
Read the date of the report and the number of locations under the title.
Use the filters, the counters, the map and the two tables on the right.
This is a different subject from the map of mental health services: data security in adult social care. No personal details are shown.
10.2Filter the locations by area or support organisation
Four lists narrow the whole page: region, integrated care board, local authority and local support organisation.
Open one of the lists at the top, for example All local authorities, and select a line.
Read the counters, the map and the tables: they now count that choice only. The map moves to an integrated care board or a local authority when you choose one.
To start again, select Clear filters.
10.3Read the counters, and use them to narrow the map
Three rows count all locations, care homes and other locations by their DSPT status. Select a box to show only those locations on the map.
Read a row: the total, the number that are compliant and, in six boxes, the number with each status.
Select a box, for example Approaching in the row Care homes.
Select the same box again to let it go.
What you see: The map and the tables on the right show only the locations of that box.
The six statuses are: standards exceeded; standards met; approaching standards; registered but not published in the current or previous year; not registered itself while its parent organisation is; and not registered.
10.4Use the map of locations
Every location is a dot in the colour of its status. The buttons and the list above the map choose which locations are drawn.
Select All locations, Care homes or Other locations above the map.
Open All statuses and select a status to draw only those locations.
Read “… on the map” to see how many locations are drawn.
Zoom in and select a dot to open its card under the map.
The colours are listed under the map.
10.5Read the card of a location
The card gives the location’s DSPT status, its parent organisation, its local authority and its CQC rating, with links to its CQC and DSPT pages.
Select a dot on the map.
Read the card under the map.
Select CQC page or DSPT page to open the location on those websites, in a new tab.
Close the card with its cross (×).
10.6See the share of each status, and download the list
Location level registration and publication shows how the locations shown split between the six statuses. Download (CSV) saves their list.
Set the filters you want.
Read the bar and the table: the number and the share of each status.
Select Download (CSV) to save the list of the locations shown as a spreadsheet file.
The file holds no personal details.
10.7Compare compliance between areas
Compliance by area ranks regions, integrated care boards, local authorities or local support organisations by their share of compliant locations.
Open the list at the top right of Compliance by area and choose what to rank: Region, Integrated care board, Local authority or Local support organisation.
Read the table: the number of locations and the share that are compliant.
Select a line to narrow the whole page to it. Select it again to let it go.
11. Sources and methods
Where every figure comes from and how it is worked out.
Open Sources and methods11.1What the page tells you
The page lists every figure of the Observatory with its source, period and meaning, the data in use and the data planned, and how the figures are worked out.
Select Sources and methods at the bottom of Insights, of a comparison, of a profile or of the DSPT page.
Scroll through the parts of the page: services on the map, figures for areas, data sources, boundaries and the base map, and how the figures are worked out.
11.2Look up a figure
Figures for areas lists each figure by group, with its source, its period, the kinds of area it exists for and what it means.
Scroll to Figures for areas.
Find the group, for example Need for mental health care.
Read the line of the figure. Select the name of the source to open the publisher’s page in a new tab.
To find a word quickly, use the search of your browser: press Ctrl and F (on a Mac, Cmd and F).
11.3See which data are in use and which are planned
Data sources has two lists: the data the Observatory uses today and the data it plans to add.
Scroll to Data sources.
Read Data in use: who publishes each set of data, what it tells us, the area it covers and how often it comes out.
Read Data we plan to add for what is coming next.
11.4How the figures are worked out
The last part of the page explains rates, shares, the five groups of the shading, deprivation deciles and the estimate of need.
Scroll to How the figures are worked out at the bottom of the page.
12. Telling us about a service
How to report a service that is missing from the map, and how to suggest a correction.
Open the map12.1Tell us about a service that is missing
If a mental health service should be on the map and is not, send its details with Report a missing service. AMHP checks every report before anything is published.
On the map, select Filters at the top left.
At the bottom of the panel, select Report a missing service.
Fill in Organisation and Service or branch name: these two are needed.
Add what you know: type of organisation, CQC registration, address, postcode, website, telephone and what the service offers. The postcode puts the service in the right place on the map.
Your name and your e-mail address are optional. They are used only if AMHP needs to ask you about the report.
Select Send report.
What you see: A message thanks you and says that the report has been sent to AMHP for checking.
12.2Suggest a correction to a service
If something on the card of a service is wrong or out of date, select Suggest a correction at the bottom of the card and say what should change.
Open the card of the service: select its dot on the map.
Scroll to the bottom of the card and select Suggest a correction.
The form opens with the details the map holds. Change what is wrong.
In What needs correcting, say what should change. This box is needed.
Select Send report.
What you see: A message thanks you. The service is updated on the map once AMHP has checked the correction.
12.3What happens to your report
Nothing is published until AMHP has checked it. A report that is accepted appears on the map; a correction changes the card of the service.
If you gave an e-mail address, AMHP may use it to ask you about the report.
To leave the form without sending anything, select Cancel or the cross (×).
13. Worked examples
Three ways of using the Observatory, from start to finish.
13.1A commissioner
See need, workforce and provision for your integrated care board, and how it compares with others.
Open the map, select Filters and choose your integrated care board under Area.
In the panel of the area, read the estimated need, the workforce and the services for every 10,000 people likely to need support.
Select Open in Insights to see how other areas compare and where the gaps are.
Select Compare two areas, set your area beside a similar one, and select Print or save as PDF.
13.2A member organisation
Describe the community you serve, and keep your own entry up to date.
Open the map, select Filters and type the name of your service under Search by name.
Select its dot to open the card.
Scroll to In this area: the other voluntary sector services nearby and the number of people who live there. Use it to describe the community you serve.
If anything about your service is out of date, select Suggest a correction.
13.3A policy lead
Show where need is high and services are few, and prepare a briefing for a Member of Parliament.
Open the map, select Layers, then A figure for each area, and choose the figure Services for every 10,000 people likely to need support.
Select Insights and scroll to Need, provision and gaps to see where there are few services for the estimated need.
On the map, choose an area and select Share this view to copy a link to exactly what you see.
To brief a Member of Parliament, choose the constituency under Area, select Profile in its panel and print the page: one page with the services, the people who live there and how the constituency compares.
14. Words used on the map
Short explanations of the terms you will meet.
14.1Integrated care board (ICB)
An NHS body that plans and pays for health services for the people of its area. England has 42; Wales has none.
14.2Local authority
The council responsible for social care in its area: a county, a unitary authority, a metropolitan or London borough, or a council in Wales. The layers call these upper-tier local authorities.
14.3Parliamentary constituency
The area that elects one Member of Parliament. The map uses the boundaries of the general election of July 2024.
14.4Region
One of the seven NHS England regions, or Wales. The figures of a region are the sum of the figures of the areas it is made of.
14.5Neighbourhood
A small area of about 1,500 residents that statisticians use to publish figures (its official name is “lower layer super output area”). Deprivation is measured for neighbourhoods.
14.6Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The regulator of health and adult social care in England. Providers of regulated care must register with it; many community services do not need to.
14.7Types of organisation
Who runs a service: the NHS, an independent provider, a local authority, or the voluntary and community sector (charities, community groups and social enterprises).
14.8Member of AMHP
A service run by an organisation that belongs to the Association of Mental Health Providers.
14.9Deprivation decile
The neighbourhoods of England are ranked by the Indices of Deprivation and split into ten equal groups. Decile 1 is the most deprived tenth, decile 10 the least deprived.
14.10Estimate of need, and services for every 10,000
An estimate of how many residents are likely to need mental health support, and the number of services shown on the map for every 10,000 of them.
It is an estimate, not a count of people. Few services for the estimated need shows where to look more closely; it does not measure unmet need.
14.11Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
A yearly self-assessment in which health and care organisations show that they keep people’s information safe.
14.12Head office
The main address of an organisation. The map leaves head offices out unless you tick Include head offices, because support is often delivered elsewhere.
14.13Neighbourhood mental health centre
A place where people of a neighbourhood can get mental health support without a referral, from one team of NHS, social care and voluntary sector staff. NHS England is testing the model at six pilot sites; the map shows them under Other places. Opening hours differ from centre to centre.