Falling share of Scottish NHS budget goes to mental health

The proportion of NHS resources in Scotland devoted to mental health has fallen since 1999, the Scottish parliament’s health committee said today.

Research commissioned by the committee found that though spending on mental health had increased since 1999, its proportion of the budget had fallen.

Committee convenor Roseanna Cunningham said: “The committee is concerned that this may reflect a reduction in the priority given to mental health.”

The research, by Dr Sean Boyle of the London School of Economics, also found there had been a reduction in psychiatric beds.

The committee called for an analysis of how far this had been compensated for by community-based services.