In her final speech to thousands of psychiatrists, the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists calls on the UK Government and all political parties in Westminster to make good mental healthcare a priority for all, rather than a privilege for some.
Dr Lade Smith CBE is challenging politicians to work together to protect the future of an entire generation by ensuring they have access to high-quality mental health services as part of her valedictory address at the College’s International Congress in Liverpool.
In her speech, Dr Smith said:
“Over the last three years, we have consistently raised the alarm over the state of mental health services with Parliament, the media and the public. It is now time for the country to decide if we want people to receive effective treatments delivered by world class services or if we want to risk wasting the potential of an entire generation by continuing to fail to prioritise mental healthcare.
“Everyone can influence the way people with mental illness are understood and supported in this country, from Parliamentarians across the political spectrum to everyday people on the street. But if we don’t make changes today, those with mental illness will become sicker, hospitals will remain full and tragedies will continue to happen. The repercussions of this will be near irreversible and stretch across our communities, our NHS and the economy.”
There are 1.8 million people waiting to receive mental healthcare in England. Less than half of 16- to 74-year-olds with common mental health conditions are receiving treatment meaning there are many more in need of care who don’t come into contact with services at all.
Mental health receives 8.4% of national health funding despite representing 20% of the country’s disease burden. More than a quarter (27%) of consultant psychiatrist posts were unfilled or covered by temporary staff in England at the end of March 2025.
The President Dr Lade Smith CBE is calling on the UK government and all political parties to combine their efforts and close the treatment gap. The upcoming Mental Health Strategy represents an important opportunity to do this but must be supported by an expanded mental health workforce and adequate funding.
Dr Smith continued:
“People with mental illness can wait years for a diagnosis, care and treatment only to be seen by services that are overwhelmed and understaffed. Those who don’t access the right support are increasingly likely to become more unwell, isolated and fall out of education or work.
“Solutions do exist. Patients and clinicians are calling for essential NICE-recommended treatments which simply aren’t being commissioned. We need to deliver early intervention and continuity of care through expanded community mental health services while ensuring there are enough beds for patients who need treatment in hospital.
“We are at a crossroads with the health of our nation. We know we can effectively treat mental illness but frankly, we are not commissioned to do so. The country has a choice – do we prioritise and invest in good mental healthcare for all, or do we continue with the status quo, with good mental healthcare being decided by postcode?
“Cross-sector recognition of the importance of mental healthcare would help secure sustainable investment so we can enhance services and expand the workforce, which would help to reduce the numbers of people going into crisis, ensuring better outcomes and more safety for patients and others. This will help individuals, their families, productivity and the economy and have wide-ranging benefits for all of society”
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