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What do the party manifestos mean for mental health?
Posted Friday 16 April 2010
This week, the election campaign is fully under way as we see the parties launch their manifestos. It's probably the best indication of where mental health sits as a priority for a new Government.
The signs are encouraging, with some recurring themes. The Labour manifesto promises to increase the number of therapists (although makes no promises on reducing waiting times), and makes a clear commitment to tackle stigma.
There's also commitment to the mental health of ex-servicemen, and support for people looking for work. Labour Election Co-Ordinator Douglas Alexander defended his party's commitment to increasing the number of therapists on the Radio 4 PM programme on 12 April (this is available to listen to until Monday 19 April. You can hear the discussion 17 minutes in to the broadcast).
The Conservatives too support an increase in talking treatments, and plan to improve services for veterans. Their manifesto also addresses work issues for people who are long-term unemployed.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, as well as sharing support for more therapists, outline an increase in mental health funding which in turn generates a long term saving to the economy under Vince Cable's stewardship.
So far so good. But all make reference to tough times ahead, and we are already hearing of some mental health services threatened with cutbacks, particularly in London
So what does this all mean?
First of all, this election appears to be extremely close. There's a chance for all of us to influence the outcome, and to quiz candidates on their views on mental health, so I'd encourage as many people as possible to engage with candidates, and vote.
Politics doesn't exactly have a great reputation at the moment, but we can all influence that. Just ten years ago, Mind lobbied hard to change the law to give psychiatric inpatients the right to vote in a general election. It's vital that this right is upheld – so as a first step, make sure you register to vote by 20 April.
Secondly, it's a credit to our We Need to Talk partners that there's widespread recognition of the need for further development of access to talking treatments, and much needed at a time when funding cuts could threaten this.
It is clear that mental health is now recognised by all three parties as an important issue, and one which could emerge as a touchstone in a new Government. The way society treats this issue should be a litmus test for good government.
Let the campaign continue!
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive
5 Comments
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I am sorry to be negative but you cannot seriously believe what politicians say. Contrary to what Mr Farmer states the signs are not encouraging in my view.
In Hereford they are privatising mental health services within the next year. A recent article in the local paper said that GP's were concerned mental health services were collapsing.
The country is on the verge of bankruptcy mental health is an easy target. Lets face it community care and mental health services will be targetted in cost cutting.
Six months ago this government announced partly trained therapists were going to be working in the job centres. How is that going to help the one million IB claimants many with mental illness that are going to be put on JSA because new labour, the DWP and ATOS have decided illness is a state of mind solved by Workfare and schemes to nowhere.
As for these Talking therapy promises these type of promises have been put forward by politicians for over 10 years. It is a means of abolishing illness under the pretext of changing someones way of thinking about one issue "WORK".MIND should be telling government WORK is not the only constructive idea in life. Keeping sane under all this propaghanda from all quarters is a mission in itself.
Concerning the work capability assessments for ESA, you have to wonder whether opposition or dissent
is being stopped by the back door through fear for those with mental illness who are not working under the CAN DO medical regime.I know that under this ESA regime I could lose my sickness benefit for having the ability to write this email. I have seen on a number of occcasions people being frightened to complain or write on forums because it shows they can use a computer.
I have held good jobs in the past, inluding serving in the army, but for me and many others its over in respect of work whatever the bullying politicians say.
Work will not make me better, it has been proven in practice that it actually made me worse. the same will apply to many others.
The state will solve nothing pushing this one size fits all supported behind the scenes by GP's, mental health services and so many others
. It will solve nothing and they will not save money. Disengagement from society and mental health services will happen and is happening already, that scenario will be almost certainly lead to problems for all those concerned and possibly the wider society.
Paul
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For as long as people can remember, whenever it comes to light that a sitting MP has, or has had mental ill-health, this person is currently dis-engaged from his duties and barred from the forums of debate, discussion and decision-making at Westminster. This prejudices parliamentary processes to move in ignorance of the needs and perspectives of a substantial section of our citizenship - over 2 million people, leaving parliament to preside in the dark, uninformed by the contributions and insights coming from these citizens. As a candidate for the forth-coming election would you solemnly undertake to rectify this glaring anomaly in favour of inclusiveness, disability equality and true representation of the people in recognition of the need to emancipate all the people so excluded by this lack of representation?
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I moved from mainland UK to Gibraltar (UK) just over a year ago. The difference in how mental illness is viewed here by all concerned is pre-historic! I suffer badly from depression and anxiety and have been an in-patient on 4 different occasions. Since I have moved to Gibraltar, I have tried to contact Mind / rethink to set up a Gibraltar arm to the charity, and also contacted the Government Minister here for backing to set up a support group for sufferers of depression etc. I am so disappointed that I seem to have hit a brick wall with trying to get support and understanding not only for me but other people as well. Gibraltar is a very small community. It has a high tech, state of the art general hospital but for mental health there is a community office, tucked away out of sight that looks like it is going to fall down at any second and a small hospital that is reminiscent of the Victorian image of a mental institution. There are 2 psychiatrists, and 4 therapists and one community mental health nurse - All to support the mental wellbeing of a community of 30,000 people. These professionals are incredible in there dedication to there patients - but with no resources and government backing what can they do. Talking therapies are so important - and the new Government needs to invest in the mental health of our nation. Gibraltar is so far behind the UK in terms of the stigma surrounding mental health - all I want is help in trying to change this view.
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Things just got a lot worse today, as there's every indication that claimants and disabled people will be fall-guys for the victimisers on the right of both main parties. Some people cannot make progress themselves, without walking all over other people. The news for the Political parties is that claimants and the disabled are also people and also have a vote. We hear and are sorely hurt by the prevalent tendency to lash out and look for scape-goats for politicians to lever themselves back into public favour. Well that is the sum of heaping blame and abuse upon claimants and the mentally ill. I think we need to use our vote wisely and if that means backing hitherto-outsiders like Nick Clegg and Vince Cable - who undertake to improve funding for the mentally ill as sound economics - then Back them we Must, and Back them we will.
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I was initially refused E.S.A. benefit and eventually got it in February after a seven month wait for a tribunal hearing. My GP commented that anyone who said I was fit for work on the date of the assessment was talking out of their backsides. I have improved a little, but the effect of my medication alone would make it very hard to hold down a job because I am permanently half asleep and my concentration is very poor. That is without consideration to the personal factors that caused the depression in the first place, which are still very much present.
My last consultant appointment (in Havant, Hampshire) was in October, the next one is on May 4th and the availability of talking therapies seems to be virtually nil. If it wasn't for the help and support from people at my local Mind office, I might well have resorted to suicide at my lowest points during the last few months.
I won't be voting Labour or Conservative, both of whom take the Victorian view that work is the best cure for illnesses like depression stress, and anxiety. I haven't yet seen anything concrete from the Lib.Dems that they will shut down the ATOS assessment system which will more than pay for granting benefits to all those waiting for tribunals. Thereafter, they should return the decision on whether someone is fit to work to those who know the patient best - their GP and mental health workers.
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