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Mental Health Solicitors

Funding and staffing are main concerns of mental health bosses, new report shows (17 July 2017)

Date: 17/07/2017
Duncan Lewis, Mental Health Solicitors, Funding and staffing are main concerns of mental health bosses, new report shows

Mental health charity Mind says that a new report by NHS Providers shows the scale of the challenge facing NHS mental health services.

The report highlights concern over NHS mental health services – particularly funding and staffing.

The report was carried out by the membership organisation and trade association for the NHS acute, ambulance, community and mental health services that treat patients and service users in the NHS.

NHS Providers surveyed NHS mental health trust chairs and chief executives and found that more than 70% expect demand to increase this year – and fewer than one in three is confident they have enough staff to deliver existing services, let alone extending or creating new services.

In particular, trusts are struggling to recruit enough mental health nurses and psychiatrists, the report finds.

A total of 10% say their local trust is managing demand and planning for unmet need for key mental health services, including those for children and young people – but 80% say extra money intended for mental health at a national level is still not getting through to NHS mental health trusts operating frontline services.

Chief Executive of Mind, Paul Farmer CBE, said:

“This report shows the scale of the challenge facing NHS mental health services, which is starting to be met as decades of under-investment are rectified.

“As public attitudes towards mental health start to improve, we are seeing more and more people come forward and seek the help they need.

“The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health came with a commitment by the NHS to spend £1 billion more on mental health services by 2020-2021.

“Evidence suggests that it is materialising and reaching the frontline, but it is concerning to see that people don’t think this is happening.

“Local commissioners are now required to report on spending on mental health, so transparency around funding should improve – and charities like Mind will be keeping an eye on this and making sure the money gets where it needs to be.

“The workforce is crucial to the success of the Five Year Forward View – staff working in mental health services do a fantastic job and can make all the difference to the experience of people under their care.

“The forthcoming workforce strategy needs to make it as easy as possible for people to work in mental health, to encourage the workforce to grow and meet demand.”


Mr Farmer added that mental health had been under-funded and under-resourced for too long, with dire consequences for people with mental health problems.

“If people don’t get the help they need when they need it, they are likely to become more unwell and need more intensive – and expensive – support further down the line.

“This is the opportunity to get this right – to start building the kind of NHS mental health services that will carry us into the future and make sure everyone with a mental health problem gets the help and support they need.”


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 NHS mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit NHS hospitals to advise on mental health law – and are available across England and Wales at short notice for hospital and police station appointments.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors 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 020 3114 1124.


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