Mind's response to Simon Stevens' comments on mental health funding

Stevens: 'We need to protect the planned investment that we have in mental health'

In his presentation to the NHS England Board this morning Simon Stevens said, in the context of having to make difficult decisions about NHS funding, ‘we need to protect the planned investment that we have in mental health’: 

Mind has been calling on NHS England for reassurance after Simon Stevens indicated that the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health may be under threat in a speech at NHS Providers three weeks ago.

In response, Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind, said:

“We are pleased that the NHS has restated its commitments around mental health. The delivery of the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health is essential to bringing mental health services up to a basic standard, to start building the support we have lacked for many, many decades. We know that the NHS has to make difficult decisions at the moment – it is the right choice to invest in mental health because the sooner people who are struggling get the help they need, the more likely it is that they will avoid needing more intensive and expensive support further down the line.”