Sir, The Chancellor’s announcement of extra funding for health, is welcome but we – the Mental Health Policy Group – now urgently need the Government and Simon Stevens (Chief Executive of NHS England) to confirm that they will keep existing plans for the delivery of mental health promises on track. Two weeks ago, Mr Stevens warned that the current funding outlook makes it “increasingly difficult” to deliver the Government’s mental health promises.
The Government has repeatedly promised to invest an additional £1 billion in frontline mental health services and treat one million more people by 2021. This is necessary to tackle the burning injustices suffered by people with a mental illness described by Theresa May. We urgently need the Government to confirm that frontline mental health services will receive the investment they have been promised and commissioners will be held to account on these promises.
Prof Wendy Burn, president, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Sean Duggan, chief executive, Mental Health Network
Jenny Edwards CBE, chief executive, Mental Health Foundation
Paul Farmer CBE, chief executive, Mind
Sarah Hughes, chief executive, Centre for Mental Health
Mark Winstanley, chief executive, Rethink Mental Illness
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896