Professor Wendy Burn, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists said, “Despite the increase in funding in mental health services, mental health trusts are still lagging desperately behind those acute trusts providing care for physical health problems.
“The Government last year committed to prioritising mental health in the NHS, but as good as that sounds, this isn’t happening on the ground. Patients with mental illness continue to bear the brunt of an underfunded sector experiencing unprecedented demand with limited supply. Prioritisation of mental health is about getting the right care, at the right time, in the right place. That can’t happen if funding is growing at three times the rate for acute hospitals as mental health trusts.
“We are calling on the Government to hold CCGs to account, individually, for meeting the Mental Health Investment Standard (MHIS). Sanctions should be imposed on those failing to meet the MHIS, without valid cause. The standard is one of few tools available to monitor even distribution of mental health spend across England and is therefore vital for transparency.”
Read the full report from the King's Fund.
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Twitter: @rcpsych
- Out-of-hours contact number: 07860 755896