Prime Minister pledges mental health measures

Theresa May has promised a mental health care overhaul, promising to assist schools and companies to better deal with the issue.

The Prime Minister, due to make a speech on 9 January 2017, is expected to announce plans to tackle mental health and debt, expand digital mental health services, provide extra training for teachers, offer more online self-checking for those with concerns and a undertake a review of services for children and teenagers.

Part of the proposals include plans to offer more alternatives to support people in the community get the advice, care and support they need outside of visiting a hospital. This will see £15 million government investment to provide and promote new models of community–based care such as crisis cafes and community clinics.

Additionally, the Prime Minister is also to announce plans to expand treatment by investing in and expanding digital mental health services. This will see £67.7 million spent on digital mental health package so that people worried about stress, anxiety or more serious issues can go online, check their symptoms and access digital therapy.

Furthermore, the Department for Health will undertake a formal review of the ‘mental health debt form’, working with money and mental health. People with mental health problems who are struggling with debt are reported to have been charged up to £300 by their GP to provide evidence of their mental health problems The government will also support NHS England’s commitment to eliminate inappropriate placements to inpatient beds for children and young people by 2021.

May is also set to reveal a new partnership with employers to improve mental health support in the workplace, including a review on current recommendations around discrimination in the workplace on the grounds of mental health.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said: “It’s important to see the Prime Minister talking about mental health and shows how far we have come in bringing the experiences of people with mental health problems up the political agenda. Mental health should be at the heart of government, and at the heart of society and communities – it’s been on the periphery for far too long.

“We welcome the announcements around a focus on prevention in schools and workplaces and support for people in crisis. The proof will be in the difference it makes to the day-to-day experience of the one in four who will experience a mental health problem this year. Mental health is everyone’s business and we need to see sustained leadership to make sure services and support improve for all of us with mental health problems. Having been neglected for decades, we need to see it made a priority for decades to come to make sure everyone with mental health problems can live the life they want to lead.”