With Christmas
just around the corner it is difficult to look ahead and think about what will
be in store for our frontline services in the New Year.
From living
through a worldwide pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis the fact is, stress
and worry are a very hard reality for thousands of Scots right now.
Burnout and
long waiting times has also meant our mental health services are so stretched,
they’re now at breaking point.
But given the
fact that the economic climate poses a real threat to the nation’s mental
health – it’s difficult to imagine that such little thought has been given to
this area of the health service.
In the
Scottish Parliament last month, we heard the alarming news that £400m was to be
cut from frontline services – there was also talk of proposed cuts of £38
million to planned mental health spending.
As
psychiatrists, we believe cuts of this magnitude would have a devasting
effect on the services we work in and on the lives of the people who benefit from
them.
The proposed
cuts come at a time when we have food insecurity, fuel poverty, debt,
loneliness and all the isolation that comes with these problems.
Those already
living with a mental illness are more likely to suffer the consequences of the looming
economic downturn – which will be felt for years to come.
As frontline clinicians, we need to be ready to offer specialist high quality healthcare, that we know can make a difference.
We’re
concerned that slashing mental health budgets at a time of crisis will mean that some
people simply won’t get the help they so desperately need.
Our recent
research revealed there is only one consultant psychiatrist for every
10,250 people in Scotland – which is quite a statistic.
And when it
comes to children and young people’s mental health there is only one CAMHS
consultant psychiatrist for every 16,350 young person under the age of
18.
Enough is
enough. We must ensure our mental health services are protected. The Scottish
Government must get a grip and act now before the current crisis
deepens.
While we
welcomed recent news of investment to create extra doctor training places –
including 15 psychiatry places - we need more to keep up with demand.
We want to see
the Scottish Government guarantee that 10% of health spend is given to
mental health and it receives its fair share of funding.
The CAMHS
crisis also needs urgently addressed. By 2026, 1% of what we spend on
health should be directed to supporting the mental health of our
children and young people.
With bated breath
we await John Swinney’s Scottish Budget announcement on Thursday.
For the sake of the mental health of our nation - we call on him to do the right thing.
Dr Jess Sussmann is a consultant psychiatrist and policy lead for RCPsych in Scotland.
For further information, please contact:
- Email: scotland@rcpsych.ac.uk
- Contact Name: RCPsych in Scotland
- Twitter: @rcpsychscot