Mental Health Solicitors

The Local Government Association (LGA) has responded to the government’s announcement on additional funding for mental health services.

Local Government Association Community Wellbeing spokesperson, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, said the LGA had “long called for more money to support mental health services, adding the LGA was “pleased to see that there has been additional funding which could improve much needed access to vital services for thousands of people, including new mums”.

The recent publication of the Children and Young People's Mental Health Taskforce report – and the Health Select Committee's report into CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) – acts as an urgent call to action, says the LGA.

“The government needs to work with partners across the system – both at national and local level – to drive forward profound and permanent improvements to CAMHS, as outlined in the recommendations in these reports”, the LGA added.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics Mental Health in Children and Young People in Great Britain, 2005 show that one in ten children between the ages of one and 15 will suffer from a mental health disorder at some point.

More than half of all mental ill health starts before the age of 14 years – and 75% of cases develop by the age of 18 years, according to Future in Mind 2014.

A total of 11.5% of young people between 11 and16 years have a mental health problem – and the LGA says the life chances of these children are significantly reduced in terms of physical health, educational and work prospects.

There is also a growing body of evidence that schools are required to provide a whole school approach to wellbeing – figures from Oxford Brookes University in 2012 show that there is a clear relationship between physical health and mental health outcomes for body mass index, tobacco use and being bullied.

Cllr Seccombe added:

“As many as one in ten children between the ages of one and fifteen will suffer from a mental health disorder – and we desperately need to see the whole system properly funded, resourced and joined up to ensure children receive support when they need it.

“Councils commission mental health services alongside the NHS – and there are opportunities for both to work closely together to achieve the improvements needed.

“We have already been working with central government to improve mental health services.

“It is vital that the urgent improvements which have been identified are addressed – and that the system is joined-up to help tackle the challenges faced each day by anyone experiencing mental health issues.”

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors
Duncan Lewis is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on a wide range of issues, including access to mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act.
Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit hospitals and police stations to advise on mental health law – and in some cases may be able to advise the nearest relative or carer of a mental health patient on a range of issues, including initiating treatment reviews where appropriate.
For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0333 772 0409.