Legal News

The chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, Mark Winstanley, has called for “firm commitments” in funding for acute care mental health services – and says that if this is not quickly forthcoming, insufficient funding of mental health services for people in crisis would continue to cost lives.

The Guardian reports that before the general election, leaked minutes from a committee meeting of mental health steering group Crisis Care Concordat warned that budget cuts in NHS mental health services were leading to large numbers of people in crisis turning to A&E departments for help, as a result of “inadequate” community-based mental health services.

Budget cuts in mental health services have seen some trusts cutting up to 20% from their mental health budget – with beds reduced, services cut back or amalgamated, and more emphasis on community care and 24/7 telephone support.

Some mental health trusts – such as Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) have had to send mental health patients out of the area for acute care inpatient services. NSFT was placed in special measures earlier this year.

Mark Winstanley has been chief executive of Rethink Mental Health since October 2014 and said that despite the coalition government’s promise of increased investment in mental health services up to 2020, budget cuts were made and mental health services were “badly funded and overstretched”.

Mr Winstanley said that if firm commitments to fund mental health services were not forthcoming quickly from the new Conservative government, the situation would deteriorate further – mental health beds have already been reduced across England by 8% since 2010.

“For too many people with mental illness, going to A&E is the only way they can get care if they’re going through a crisis,” Mr Winstanley said.

“In many parts of the country there are no suitable crisis services available, full stop.

“Even worse, thousands of people – including children – end up in police cells each year because they can’t get the treatment they need,” Mr Winstanley said.

“The Conservatives have made a number of important promises about mental health in their manifesto – including pledging to increase funding for mental healthcare and to enforce new waiting times for treatment.

“The prime minister has also explicitly said that the government has the legal duty and resources to make mental health an equal priority to physical health.

“Now the government must show real leadership by acting on those promises and making mental health a top priority over the next five years.

“Failing to do so will put the wellbeing of millions of people at risk,” Mr Winstanley added.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors are the largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services in the UK – and our mental health lawyers are available at short notice to attend appointments at police stations and hospitals nationwide.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors can also advise mental health patients on issues such as detention under the Mental Health Act – and access to NHS mental health services.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 0203 114 1124.