Mental Health Targets Missed…Again
It has come to light that, yet again, mental health targets are being missed by a number of NHS trusts. The thing that is so disappointing about this is that the people who suffer with mental health issues find themselves yet again being made promises that the NHS for one reason or another cannot meet.
For years, I have talked about the lack of a coherent policy when it comes to mental health treatment and awareness. Surely, it cannot be right, for the health service to push mental health to the back of the prerverbial q when it comes to funding, when the NHS is allowing things like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to be paid for when the results of such treatment for smokers is highly suspect.
Perhaps it is time for the NHS to engage in a far greater consultation as to what needs to be done to help our fellow citizens who are suffering, sometimes real and profound anguish when dealing with their mental health issues. Perhaps it is time for a coalition of the interested professional bodies like the UKCP, RCS, BPS, BCP and BACP to campaign far more vigorously for the NHS to take its promises on mental health provision more seriously. If the targets for cancer treatment were not being met, the public would rightly be outraged. Surely the same should be true for mental health issues and treatment.
