Mind’s response to Spring Budget – health and social care
In today’s Spring Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond announced more funding for Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STPs), social care and the liaison between GPs and Accident and Emergency (A&E) services in England.
Responding to this, Vicki Nash, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Mind said:
“We welcome additional funding in these three areas, all of which are vital to people with mental health problems. While the extra money is appreciated, what the system actually does with it will really go to show if the Government and the NHS is genuinely committed to making mental health as important as physical health. It’s also worrying that the Chancellor failed to mention mental health explicitly, despite the Prime Minister’s rhetoric around the ‘burning injustices’ still faced by the people Mind represent."
“Far too many people with mental health problems tell us they’ve been stuck in hospital when there’s nowhere else for them to go, or conversely that they’re discharged too soon after being admitted at their most unwell, experiencing a mental health crisis. Even after you’ve left hospital, whether for physical or mental health problems, or both, it’s really important you’re given follow-up support to help you get well, stay well and get your life back on track. At the moment we know far too few people with mental health problems are provided with the ongoing support they might need after a spell in hospital, and can end up being re-admitted.”
