A freeze on government funding for mental health in Scotland has been criticised by campaigners in the wake of the SNP’s controversial budget.
More than a dozen charities and groups that make up the Scottish Mental Health Partnership (SMHP) have voiced concern after financial support from Holyrood was held at £290.2 million, the same as in the previous two years.
A statement agreed by the SMHP, whose members include charities such as the Samaritans and the Scottish Association for Mental Health, as well as the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of General Practitoners, said it is “extremely disappointed” there has been no increase in funding.
It added: “With an ambitious mental health and wellbeing strategy now agreed, SMHP was anticipating new investment to deliver moves towards prevention and community base supports.”
Lee Knifton, the SMHP chairman, said it represented a “large” cut in real terms and was a missed opportunity for mental health.
“There is no indication that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spend to 10 per cent of the NHS budget, no increase to the mental health directorate budget for the second successive year, meaning a large cut in real terms, and no new investment for preventative work,” said Mr Knifton.
“We are keen to begin working with Government to deliver on the new strategy but had expected to see mental health as a priority for new investment. Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overstretched.”
Maree Todd, the SNP minister for mental wellbeing said the Scottish executive is providing £14.2 billion for NHS boards to support services, providing an uplift exceeding block grant consequentials from the UK Government. It means that resource funding for health and social care has more than doubled since 2006-07.
“In the face of UK Government austerity, this includes an increase of almost £550 million (4.3 per cent) for NHS front-line boards – a real-term increase of almost 3 per cent.
“More than £1.3 billion will support mental health services, with £290.2 million direct investment – more than doubled since 2020/21 – enabling record numbers of staff to provide more varied support and services to a larger number of people than ever before.”
The cuts to the mental health budget and the housing budget are totally reckless and perplexing. Cut something else. Anything else – not the budgets of the two biggest issues facing the country at present.
I’m not going to waste my time too much replying to this guy posting right-wing tory horseshit. I’ve been heavily involved for years now in mental health availability and treatment, and I’m going to ask him a favour.
Remove this, please.
For years, and under the SNP, mental health services were, it seemed, anyway, non existant. But for the last 2 or 3 years, money has been injected by enough to make a huge difference. Now, it is as simple as one GP visit, and the referral system is immediate. You will immediately be given contact over the phone to professional help on a basis that will talk to you and brilliantly outline a course of action and even a prognosis that will get you one on one treatment and medication.
You will soon be referred to critical psychological counselling where you will be one on one in private with a psychologist. It is busy and heavily subscribed unfortunately, what isn’t, but I guarantee you, you will be met with immediate attention that will help as it works with you all the way until those psychologist treatments start.
Please do not think for one moment, anyone on this sub no matter what our politics are, that you will be ignored, you will not be a burden, and please know that the mental health service in Scotland is not failing anyone despite insinuation getting that help is somehow pointless and futile, that it is being shrunk beyond your reach.
So Halk, please remove this. The stink from that shite your posting can have consequences.
Imagine making political points from mental health issues. Sad. Have a word with yourselfs.
Since some folk evidently take exception to the Telegraph’s reporting, how about we go straight to the source?
> Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership is extremely disappointed that investment in mental health has not been increased by this week’s Scottish budget. With an ambitious Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy now agreed, SMHP was anticipating new investment to deliver moves towards prevention and community based supports.
> Lee Knifton, Chair of SMHP, said, “This is a missed opportunity for mental health. There is no indication that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spend to 10% of the NHS budget, no increase to the Mental Health Directorate budget for the second successive year, meaning a large cut in real terms, and no new investment for preventative work.”
> “We are keen to begin working with government to deliver on the new strategy but had expected to see mental health as a priority for new investment. Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overstretched.”
5 comments
A freeze on government funding for mental health in Scotland has been criticised by campaigners in the wake of the SNP’s controversial budget.
More than a dozen charities and groups that make up the Scottish Mental Health Partnership (SMHP) have voiced concern after financial support from Holyrood was held at £290.2 million, the same as in the previous two years.
A statement agreed by the SMHP, whose members include charities such as the Samaritans and the Scottish Association for Mental Health, as well as the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of General Practitoners, said it is “extremely disappointed” there has been no increase in funding.
It added: “With an ambitious mental health and wellbeing strategy now agreed, SMHP was anticipating new investment to deliver moves towards prevention and community base supports.”
Lee Knifton, the SMHP chairman, said it represented a “large” cut in real terms and was a missed opportunity for mental health.
“There is no indication that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spend to 10 per cent of the NHS budget, no increase to the mental health directorate budget for the second successive year, meaning a large cut in real terms, and no new investment for preventative work,” said Mr Knifton.
“We are keen to begin working with Government to deliver on the new strategy but had expected to see mental health as a priority for new investment. Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overstretched.”
Maree Todd, the SNP minister for mental wellbeing said the Scottish executive is providing £14.2 billion for NHS boards to support services, providing an uplift exceeding block grant consequentials from the UK Government. It means that resource funding for health and social care has more than doubled since 2006-07.
“In the face of UK Government austerity, this includes an increase of almost £550 million (4.3 per cent) for NHS front-line boards – a real-term increase of almost 3 per cent.
“More than £1.3 billion will support mental health services, with £290.2 million direct investment – more than doubled since 2020/21 – enabling record numbers of staff to provide more varied support and services to a larger number of people than ever before.”
The cuts to the mental health budget and the housing budget are totally reckless and perplexing. Cut something else. Anything else – not the budgets of the two biggest issues facing the country at present.
I’m not going to waste my time too much replying to this guy posting right-wing tory horseshit. I’ve been heavily involved for years now in mental health availability and treatment, and I’m going to ask him a favour.
Remove this, please.
For years, and under the SNP, mental health services were, it seemed, anyway, non existant. But for the last 2 or 3 years, money has been injected by enough to make a huge difference. Now, it is as simple as one GP visit, and the referral system is immediate. You will immediately be given contact over the phone to professional help on a basis that will talk to you and brilliantly outline a course of action and even a prognosis that will get you one on one treatment and medication.
You will soon be referred to critical psychological counselling where you will be one on one in private with a psychologist. It is busy and heavily subscribed unfortunately, what isn’t, but I guarantee you, you will be met with immediate attention that will help as it works with you all the way until those psychologist treatments start.
Please do not think for one moment, anyone on this sub no matter what our politics are, that you will be ignored, you will not be a burden, and please know that the mental health service in Scotland is not failing anyone despite insinuation getting that help is somehow pointless and futile, that it is being shrunk beyond your reach.
So Halk, please remove this. The stink from that shite your posting can have consequences.
Imagine making political points from mental health issues. Sad. Have a word with yourselfs.
Since some folk evidently take exception to the Telegraph’s reporting, how about we go straight to the source?
https://www.smhp.scot/post/scotland-s-budget-a-missed-opportunity-for-mental-health
> Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership is extremely disappointed that investment in mental health has not been increased by this week’s Scottish budget. With an ambitious Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy now agreed, SMHP was anticipating new investment to deliver moves towards prevention and community based supports.
> Lee Knifton, Chair of SMHP, said, “This is a missed opportunity for mental health. There is no indication that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spend to 10% of the NHS budget, no increase to the Mental Health Directorate budget for the second successive year, meaning a large cut in real terms, and no new investment for preventative work.”
> “We are keen to begin working with government to deliver on the new strategy but had expected to see mental health as a priority for new investment. Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overstretched.”
You can see a full list of the groups that make up the SMHP here: https://www.smhp.scot/our-members