Mental health leaders have raised concerns that the government's
talking therapies programme could be cut after 2011 despite the
recession fuelling rising levels of depression and anxiety - the
disorders the programme is designed to treat.
They fear that the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies
programme's focus on getting people back into work could leave it
vulnerable to cuts at a time of increasing levels of
redundancy.
The concerns were raised in a report today by the Royal College
of Psychiatrists, the NHS Confederation's Mental Health Network and
the London School of Economics, based on a meeting they convened in
September on mental health and the economic downturn.
Recession to fuel mental health disorders
It said the slowdown was likely to see an increase in common
mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, which the IAPT
scheme is designed to tackle through early intervention.
The Department of Health is funding the programme from 2008-11,
with annual expenditure reaching £173m a year in 2010-11.
The report said that though IAPT could save significant amounts
of money "many" people at the September meeting were concerned
about its future funding.
Balance must be struck
However, the paper also raised concerns that if IAPT
funding were preserved then pressures could fall upon secondary
care services for more serious mental illnesses, and called for a
middle ground to be struck.
The paper, which is being launched at the
Mental Health Network’s annual conference
today, highlighted a number of funding pressures the
sector could face and suggested solutions to temper budget
cuts.
It said the current system for GPs referring patients into the
mental health system was "undeniably complex" and potentially
duplicated costs. Efficiencies could be made by enabling family
doctors to refer people to a single point of access, where a team
would carry out assessments and direct the patient to the
appropriate service, it added.
Acute trusts 'should invest in mental
healthcare'
Acute NHS trusts could also make savings by providing mental
health services in general hospitals, reducing levels of
readmission and ensuring people can be discharged earlier. Evidence
shows that one-quarter of patients admitted to general hospitals
have a mental health problem.
The report also called for more investment in training for
mental health commissioners to aid them in making difficult
decisions.
In another report launched at today's conference, the Mental
Health Network and the Ambulance Service Network, which represents
NHS ambulance services, warned that too many people with mental
health problems were ending up in A&E unnecessarily.
It called for better training for paramedics on mental health
issues.
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