Mental health services 'under-funded'

The city-region would have to spend approximately £72.3m more on mental health services to bring the amount spent per person up to the current average in England (£178.82), according to new analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

For the first time, the amount spent per person has been calculated in a way that accounts for the need for mental health services in different areas with different populations.

Greater Manchester spends £157.12 per person on mental health services, when you factor in the area’s need, which is more than £20 below the national average.

The analysis was made possible by NHS England’s new approach to estimating local need for mental health services, which uses data on demand for IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services, GP registrations and diagnostic information. It also uses data such as age, gender and ethnicity as well as average driving distance to the closest provider.

Dr Adrian James, Registrar of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Our new analysis shows that Greater Manchester, a large urban area with a younger and more deprived population, isn’t spending enough on mental health services to meet the need for them.

“The Government’s ambitions for mental health, put forward in the Long Term Plan, should be commended, but the reality has to match the rhetoric.

Need for services must continue to translate into money for services. Our Mental Health Watch website is a vital tool for holding the Government to account on this.”

Previous analyses of the amount spent per person on mental health services have been based on the size of the population or a general estimate of the need for all health services (physical and mental health).

The new figures for each local area are being made available on Mental Health Watch, the College’s interactive website, which shows how well the mental health system in England is performing.

Emily (not her real name), 23, said: “After my referral I had to wait over two years for treatment for PTSD. I felt completely alone and forgotten about. I was just stuck on a waiting list. During that time my mental health got much worse and I was frequently ending up in A&E as a result.

“Manchester urgently needs more money for mental health services to reduce waits for treatment so that everyone can get the help they need.”