Cash boost for mental health care services
7:00pm Friday 13th June 2008
Comments (7)TWO local health organisations are to benefit from a £33 million cash boost for treating people with anxiety and depression.
Health minister Ivan Lewis announced that Dorset Primary Care Trust and Bournemouth and Poole PCT will share the first instalment of new money for "talking therapies" with 30 other English trusts.
The funding is earmarked for training more therapists with the aim of slashing average waiting times from 18 months to just two weeks.
More than one is six people suffer from mental health problems at any one time and an estimated 91 million working days are lost to anxiety and depression each year.
Research shows that talking treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy are just as effective as drugs.
Two pilot programmes in 2006 found that more than half of adult patients using them recovered.
Mr Lewis said: "This initiative will transform the way the NHS helps people with depression and anxiety disorders.
"It will help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems. I believe it is one of the most important advances for NHS services in a generation."
Over the next three years, 3,600 extra therapists will be trained, offering treatment to 900,000 people. In the first year alone, at least 700 therapists will be trained and will see around 100,000 people.
Spending on talking therapies is due to rise from about £5 million a year last year to £173m by 2010.
The programme should pay for itself, as an estimated 25,000 fewer people are expected to need sick pay and incapacity benefits after treatment.
More than a million people are on incapacity benefit because of mental health problems, each one costing the economy an estimated £750 a month.
Training places for the extra therapists are expected to become available through the NHS Jobs website from later this month.
Your Say YourThisisdorset
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
11:11am Sat 14 Jun 08
Mr Lewis said: "This initiative will transform the way the NHS helps people with depression and anxiety disorders.
That's some good news that will cheer us all up a bit!
But as Fiona above points out, the miserable employment situation is a cause, and it is the cause that needs to be rectified.
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
11:12am Sat 14 Jun 08
Mr Lewis said: "This initiative will transform the way the NHS helps people with depression and anxiety disorders.
That's some good news that will cheer us all up a bit!
But as Fiona above points out, the miserable employment situation is a cause, and it is the cause that needs to be rectified.
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
11:43am Sat 14 Jun 08
omegaman, Bournemouth says...
10:47pm Sat 14 Jun 08
fiona, Bournemouth says...
11:58am Mon 16 Jun 08
They are sad because their lives suck.
But rather than admit that to themselves, they are being expected (by the government) to see a therapist and receive a 'diagnosis'
Many peoples lives need 'true' healing
If individuals are sad or stressed out perhaps there is nothing wrong with them
Perhaps they are seeing things the way they ought to be seen
Maybe there is just something wrong with the world right now?
Instead of seeing a psychologist or counsellor maybe instead we should all figure out what is wrong with our society
and fix that?
HAL101, Bournemouth says...
5:19pm Mon 16 Jun 08
fiona wrote:How very very true! One of the best posts I have read for a long time!
In my (personal) opinion the majority of people arent sad because there is something wrong with their thinking or their adjustment to their life circumstances. They are sad because their lives suck. But rather than admit that to themselves, they are being expected (by the government) to see a therapist and receive a 'diagnosis' Many peoples lives need 'true' healing If individuals are sad or stressed out perhaps there is nothing wrong with them Perhaps they are seeing things the way they ought to be seen Maybe there is just something wrong with the world right now? Instead of seeing a psychologist or counsellor maybe instead we should all figure out what is wrong with our society and fix that?
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fiona, Bournemouth says...
9:21pm Fri 13 Jun 08
This really is a sly scheme that is simply trying reduce the staggering costs of disabilty/incapacity benefits
There is a very strong relationship that exists between mental health and unemployment