Mind echoes NHS Providers' "parity of esteem" call
NHS Providers has today called for physical and mental health to be treated equally by the NHS.
A new report by NHS Providers sets out an action plan for the mental health sector, government and national NHS leaders to prioritise to provide ‘values driven, patient centred and staff enabled’ mental health care.
Vicki Ensor, Policy & Influencing Manager at Mind, said:
“We have long campaigned for the NHS to treat physical and mental health equally. With record numbers of people seeking help with their mental health, there has never been a better time to commit to achieving it.
“One of the biggest barriers to achieving this is the disproportionate levels of funding. Lord Darzi’s investigation into the NHS in England found that mental health problems account for 20% of the disease burden, but only receives 10% of NHS spending. This has led to huge waiting lists and people needing more intensive support as early intervention opportunities are missed.
“Alongside the need for extra funding, we are also calling on UK government to urgently tackle the shortage of staff in mental health settings, which has been highlighted by several CQC investigations.”
