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Mental illness could retain Cinderella status under Tories, warns MP Mental illness could retain Cinderella status under Tories, warns ex-minister
(35 minutes later)
Mental health care will remain “a Cinderella service” and not get its long-planned equality with physical health in the NHS because the Conservatives will deny it the money it needs, the MP who was the minister for mental health until the election is warning.Mental health care will remain “a Cinderella service” and not get its long-planned equality with physical health in the NHS because the Conservatives will deny it the money it needs, the MP who was the minister for mental health until the election is warning.
Significant recent progress to improve mental health will stall, and a “historic opportunity” to ditch its status as the “poor relation” of physical ailments will be lost, if ministers do not put more than the promised £8bn extra into the NHS by 2020, Norman Lamb said.Significant recent progress to improve mental health will stall, and a “historic opportunity” to ditch its status as the “poor relation” of physical ailments will be lost, if ministers do not put more than the promised £8bn extra into the NHS by 2020, Norman Lamb said.
The Liberal Democrat leadership candidate fears plans for new waiting time targets for people with conditions such as anxiety and depression to access treatment will be scrapped unless ministers plough £3.5bn into mental health over the next five years.The Liberal Democrat leadership candidate fears plans for new waiting time targets for people with conditions such as anxiety and depression to access treatment will be scrapped unless ministers plough £3.5bn into mental health over the next five years.
He was praised by leading charities in the sector during his time as the coalition’s care services minister for helping to drive through a series of improvements to mental health. They included the first waiting times for mental health treatment, an extra £1.25bn for children and adolescent mental health services, making talking therapies available to 15% of those who may benefit by 2015, better care for those undergoing a crisis and improved diversion of people with mental health problems from the criminal justice system.He was praised by leading charities in the sector during his time as the coalition’s care services minister for helping to drive through a series of improvements to mental health. They included the first waiting times for mental health treatment, an extra £1.25bn for children and adolescent mental health services, making talking therapies available to 15% of those who may benefit by 2015, better care for those undergoing a crisis and improved diversion of people with mental health problems from the criminal justice system.
“I fear the Tories lack the commitment to make the necessary investment in mental health. While [health secretary] Jeremy Hunt has made clear that he wants to build on my legacy in mental health, it won’t be possible without the necessary investment – and the Tories have not given any indication that it will be forthcoming”, Lamb told the Guardian.“I fear the Tories lack the commitment to make the necessary investment in mental health. While [health secretary] Jeremy Hunt has made clear that he wants to build on my legacy in mental health, it won’t be possible without the necessary investment – and the Tories have not given any indication that it will be forthcoming”, Lamb told the Guardian.
“My big worry is that with the enormous pressure on health and social care budgets over the next few years, all of the momentum we have built on mental health could be lost unless there is a clear and unambiguous commitment to extra resources for the NHS.”“My big worry is that with the enormous pressure on health and social care budgets over the next few years, all of the momentum we have built on mental health could be lost unless there is a clear and unambiguous commitment to extra resources for the NHS.”
During the election campaign, the Lib Dems said mental health needed to receive £3.5bn more during this parliament to ensure that patients would have equal rights of access to mental health services as physical healthcare. During the election campaign, the Lib Dems said mental health needed to receive £3.5bn more during this parliament to ensure that patients would have equal rights of access to mental health services as physical health care.
“The Tories haven’t made that commitment. Without it, and with the NHS under such massive pressure, mental health services will lose out, and our chance of securing equality will be lost”, Lamb said. “My concern is that unless we grasp the nettle of NHS funding, we will lose the opportunity to secure real equality for mental health with physical equality in the NHS and that mental health will yet again be treated as a Cinderella service.”“The Tories haven’t made that commitment. Without it, and with the NHS under such massive pressure, mental health services will lose out, and our chance of securing equality will be lost”, Lamb said. “My concern is that unless we grasp the nettle of NHS funding, we will lose the opportunity to secure real equality for mental health with physical equality in the NHS and that mental health will yet again be treated as a Cinderella service.”
Lamb is worried that pledges he and then deputy prime minister Nick Clegg made to introduce a waiting time target for patients needing treatment for eating disorders may not be honoured. The target, announced last year, was due to start in April 2016.Lamb is worried that pledges he and then deputy prime minister Nick Clegg made to introduce a waiting time target for patients needing treatment for eating disorders may not be honoured. The target, announced last year, was due to start in April 2016.
However, the Department of Health said although new access and waiting time standards for mental health had been promised to start in 2015-20, no fresh targets were planned.However, the Department of Health said although new access and waiting time standards for mental health had been promised to start in 2015-20, no fresh targets were planned.
Unless we grasp the nettle of NHS funding, we will lose the opportunity to secure real equality for mental healthUnless we grasp the nettle of NHS funding, we will lose the opportunity to secure real equality for mental health
“When we secured £125m for eating disorders in last year’s autumn statement we were clear that we planned to introduce a waiting time standard for that from April next year. So they are right to say that no additional standard has been fixed, but the objective is clear. So this concerns me a lot.”“When we secured £125m for eating disorders in last year’s autumn statement we were clear that we planned to introduce a waiting time standard for that from April next year. So they are right to say that no additional standard has been fixed, but the objective is clear. So this concerns me a lot.”
The Mental Health Policy Group, which includes charities and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, is concerned that the £1.25bn earmarked in the budget in March for children’s mental health services may not be found and mental health may be less of a priority under the Conservatives. They want the chancellor to recommit to providing the money in his emergency budget on 8 July.The Mental Health Policy Group, which includes charities and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, is concerned that the £1.25bn earmarked in the budget in March for children’s mental health services may not be found and mental health may be less of a priority under the Conservatives. They want the chancellor to recommit to providing the money in his emergency budget on 8 July.
Lamb revealed how he almost quit as a coalition minister because of government plans to backtrack on a major breakthrough in mental health care. He said he had to threaten to resign to prevent the promised introduction of the first patient waiting times for treatment being abandoned.Lamb revealed how he almost quit as a coalition minister because of government plans to backtrack on a major breakthrough in mental health care. He said he had to threaten to resign to prevent the promised introduction of the first patient waiting times for treatment being abandoned.
“It emerged that there was a risk that because of financial pressures in the NHS that it wouldn’t happen under the coalition, even though we’d committed to it in the Department of Health’s mandate to NHS England. I was told that it would have to be a Lib Dem manifesto commitment in 2015. I said that wasn’t good enough”, Lamb said. “I made clear that I’d resign if it was scrapped. I couldn’t countenance that. Once people understood that, it then happened.”“It emerged that there was a risk that because of financial pressures in the NHS that it wouldn’t happen under the coalition, even though we’d committed to it in the Department of Health’s mandate to NHS England. I was told that it would have to be a Lib Dem manifesto commitment in 2015. I said that wasn’t good enough”, Lamb said. “I made clear that I’d resign if it was scrapped. I couldn’t countenance that. Once people understood that, it then happened.”
Related: Jeremy Hunt and the Tories: a scary prospect for Britain's mental healthRelated: Jeremy Hunt and the Tories: a scary prospect for Britain's mental health
The plan for those with common mental health conditions such as depression to see a therapist within 18 weeks, and for people having their first episode of psychosis to get help within two weeks, came into force on 1 April. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Clegg’s pan-Whitehall ministerial taskforce on mental health, set up last November, has also been wound up.The plan for those with common mental health conditions such as depression to see a therapist within 18 weeks, and for people having their first episode of psychosis to get help within two weeks, came into force on 1 April. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Clegg’s pan-Whitehall ministerial taskforce on mental health, set up last November, has also been wound up.
The Department of Health confirmed that it no longer exists. “The deputy prime minister’s taskforce has finished its work. It was a cross-government taskforce which looked at children and adolescent mental health services, employment and how to reduce the number of people with mental health problems in prisons and police cells,” a spokeswoman said.The Department of Health confirmed that it no longer exists. “The deputy prime minister’s taskforce has finished its work. It was a cross-government taskforce which looked at children and adolescent mental health services, employment and how to reduce the number of people with mental health problems in prisons and police cells,” a spokeswoman said.
Lamb said: “I’m disappointed that the taskforce has been wound up. Improving mental health should mean it continues to drive progress across government.”Lamb said: “I’m disappointed that the taskforce has been wound up. Improving mental health should mean it continues to drive progress across government.”
It would be “extraordinary” if the government backtracked on plans in Clegg’s taskforce report on mental health in March to bring in waiting times for children needing mental health care, especially given David Cameron and Hunt’s pledges to improve mental health, he said.It would be “extraordinary” if the government backtracked on plans in Clegg’s taskforce report on mental health in March to bring in waiting times for children needing mental health care, especially given David Cameron and Hunt’s pledges to improve mental health, he said.
The prime minister last week highlighted the coalition’s “bold decisions” on mental health and pledged to make further progress in a major speech on the future of the NHS.The prime minister last week highlighted the coalition’s “bold decisions” on mental health and pledged to make further progress in a major speech on the future of the NHS.
Andy Bell, deputy director of the Centre for Mental Health, said the £1.25bn “has to be just the start of a rebalancing of the NHS towards treating mental health equally with physical health and towards earlier intervention rather than waiting until problems have escalated into a crisis”. Setting further access and waiting standards for mental health, and ensuring NHS organisations introduce parity of esteem, was vital to help patients, he added.Andy Bell, deputy director of the Centre for Mental Health, said the £1.25bn “has to be just the start of a rebalancing of the NHS towards treating mental health equally with physical health and towards earlier intervention rather than waiting until problems have escalated into a crisis”. Setting further access and waiting standards for mental health, and ensuring NHS organisations introduce parity of esteem, was vital to help patients, he added.
Brian Dow, director of external affairs at Rethink Mental Illness, said many mental health workers “acknowledge Norman Lamb has been a fantastic champion for mental health. But that’s been as a minister in a coalition government, and it’s important to recognise that the Conservatives have also made a number of significant commitments on mental health.”Brian Dow, director of external affairs at Rethink Mental Illness, said many mental health workers “acknowledge Norman Lamb has been a fantastic champion for mental health. But that’s been as a minister in a coalition government, and it’s important to recognise that the Conservatives have also made a number of significant commitments on mental health.”
While encouraged by the new government’s commitment to improve crisis care “that has to be just the start. We need a transformative approach and urgent investment right across the mental health system, because it’s failing too many people,” he said.While encouraged by the new government’s commitment to improve crisis care “that has to be just the start. We need a transformative approach and urgent investment right across the mental health system, because it’s failing too many people,” he said.
A spokesman for Hunt pledged that equality and extra waiting times would be delivered by 2020. “The secretary of state worked closely with Norman Lamb during the last parliament to secure historic advances in mental health treatment. Making further progress in this area was set out as a key priority by the prime minister in his first major speech since the election,” he said.A spokesman for Hunt pledged that equality and extra waiting times would be delivered by 2020. “The secretary of state worked closely with Norman Lamb during the last parliament to secure historic advances in mental health treatment. Making further progress in this area was set out as a key priority by the prime minister in his first major speech since the election,” he said.
“The five-year forward view, which we are funding in full with an additional £8bn, sets out the ambition to achieve genuine parity of esteem by 2020 and introduce waiting times standards for young people.”“The five-year forward view, which we are funding in full with an additional £8bn, sets out the ambition to achieve genuine parity of esteem by 2020 and introduce waiting times standards for young people.”