Professor Sue Bailey, the outgoing President of the Royal College of Psychiatry, has described mental health services in England as a ‘car crash’. Although the language may be alarmist Professor Bailey’s concerns deserve to be taken seriously by all those who care about mental health provision in our country.
The truth is that while politicians are much more comfortable talking about mental health than ever before, too often the ambitious rhetoric is ahead of the reality. Of most concern is the decision by NHS England, set against a background of pledged ‘parity of esteem’, to set the price deflator for mental health and community trusts at 1.8 per cent compared to 1.5 per cent for acute hospital trusts. These variations sound small but they make a considerable difference. Naturally, there are sound arguments for driving efficiencies into the NHS but, in common with the past thirty plus years, these are hitting mental health services harder, which are already starting from a lower funding base.
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