Looking after the nation’s mental health

2^nd February - ‘No health without mental health’ is the new mental health strategy launched by the Government today.  The aim is to treat mental health with the same priority as physical health for the first time.

It sets out how the Government will work with the NHS, local government, charities and the voluntary sector in England to help people recover and get over the stigma that can be attached to mental illness.

A key part of these plans is an extra £400 million to improve access to modern, evidence-based psychological therapies over the next four years.

It’s good to talk

This will extend the current programme available to offer personalised support to 3.2 million people across the country.

It will make available a choice of so-called ‘talking therapies’, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Counselling for Depression and Interpersonal Psychotherapy.

One in four of us have a mental health problem at some point in our lives. It can be a major cause of distress for individuals and families but it also impacts on the economy. It is estimated that mental health problems cost society £105 billion pounds a year when loss of productivity and treatment costs are taken into account.

Nipping it in the bud

Early intervention is also part of the new strategy. 

More money is being directed towards the mental health of young people to target potential problems before they develop.

Half of those with mental health problems first experience symptoms before the age of 14 and three quarters before their mid twenties.

Sarah Brennan from YoungMinds, a children and young people’s mental health charity, said, “We commend the Government for putting children and young people at the heart of its mental health strategy for the first time, thus emphasising the vital importance of giving all young people a good start in life and the effect of this on long term mental health.”

Launching the new strategy, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said in a statement: “The evidence is clear: mental health needs to be addressed with the same urgency as physical health. We need to end the stigma attached to mental illness, to set an example by talking about the issue openly and candidly and ensure everyone can access the support and information they need.”

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow added: “For too long mental health has been the poor relation in the NHS. Yet we know that good mental health and resilience are fundamental to our physical health, our relationships, our education, our work and to achieving our potential.

“What this strategy does is ensure that modern, evidence-based therapies are available for all who need them.”

Health Secretaryt, Andrew Lansley said: “There is no good health without good mental health. Too often in the past, mental health issues have been marginalised. This cross-government strategy will finally place good mental health at the heart of everything we do.”