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01/07/2003
Tory mental health survey reveals 'concerns'
A mental health report published today on behalf of the Conservative Party has claimed that most NHS Trusts surveyed have "concerns" about the government's attitude to mental health.
During the Spring, Shadow health minister Tim Loughton surveyed 27 NHS Mental Health Trusts on the services they provide. Of these, 85% of Trusts stated that had "serious worries" about the government's attitude towards mental health.
Shadow Health Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said: "Our research has confirmed what those working in mental health realised long ago - New Labour simply doesn't take the issue seriously."
He added: "This negative mindset is made worse by inadequate resources and the government's failure to devolve power to local levels have much to do with this. Those with mental illness deserve a far higher standard of care than is available in Labour's NHS. Over six years after its manifesto commitment to treat mental health as a priority, there is still no sign of Labour's mental health bill becoming a reality."
Marjorie Wallace, Chief Executive of the mental health charity SANE, responded to the study saying that "crisis point" had been reached in plans to improve mental health services.
"There has been so much change - the vision has moved so fast it has become blurred - that it is not surprising that Trusts are torn between priorities and confused about the role of new teams," she said.
"What is clear is that the new ‘flagship' initiatives are depleting the already starved core services and will not cope with the thousands who still struggle to get minimum care and attention."
However, the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, hit back at the Conservatives over their plans for the health service, claiming that the Opposition's patient passport plans would "break up the National Health Service".
In a speech to TGWU conference in Brighton today, Mr Brown said: "They [the Tories] are planning to do what even Mrs Thatcher would not dare: tearing up what has been a fifty year national consensus on Britain’s NHS.
"This is a battle for not just the future of the National Health Service and our public services; it is battle for the future of our country.
"Under their plans, the extra nurses we are employing and the doctors we are training would be sacked, work would grind to a halt on the new hospitals we are building and the extra operations would be cancelled.
Mr Brown said that the Tories planned to develop a US-style private health service, "where they would check your wallet before your pulse in preference to the NHS".
(GMcG)
During the Spring, Shadow health minister Tim Loughton surveyed 27 NHS Mental Health Trusts on the services they provide. Of these, 85% of Trusts stated that had "serious worries" about the government's attitude towards mental health.
Shadow Health Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, said: "Our research has confirmed what those working in mental health realised long ago - New Labour simply doesn't take the issue seriously."
He added: "This negative mindset is made worse by inadequate resources and the government's failure to devolve power to local levels have much to do with this. Those with mental illness deserve a far higher standard of care than is available in Labour's NHS. Over six years after its manifesto commitment to treat mental health as a priority, there is still no sign of Labour's mental health bill becoming a reality."
Marjorie Wallace, Chief Executive of the mental health charity SANE, responded to the study saying that "crisis point" had been reached in plans to improve mental health services.
"There has been so much change - the vision has moved so fast it has become blurred - that it is not surprising that Trusts are torn between priorities and confused about the role of new teams," she said.
"What is clear is that the new ‘flagship' initiatives are depleting the already starved core services and will not cope with the thousands who still struggle to get minimum care and attention."
However, the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, hit back at the Conservatives over their plans for the health service, claiming that the Opposition's patient passport plans would "break up the National Health Service".
In a speech to TGWU conference in Brighton today, Mr Brown said: "They [the Tories] are planning to do what even Mrs Thatcher would not dare: tearing up what has been a fifty year national consensus on Britain’s NHS.
"This is a battle for not just the future of the National Health Service and our public services; it is battle for the future of our country.
"Under their plans, the extra nurses we are employing and the doctors we are training would be sacked, work would grind to a halt on the new hospitals we are building and the extra operations would be cancelled.
Mr Brown said that the Tories planned to develop a US-style private health service, "where they would check your wallet before your pulse in preference to the NHS".
(GMcG)
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