Trusts that CUT mental health cash

HEALTH chiefs are slashing their spending on mental health despite being ordered to make it a priority.

An investigation has revealed how five clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) are collectively reducing their funding by £4.52million compared with last year.

They include Walsall CCG in the West Midlands where mental health spending has been cut by £1.9million even though its overall budget has increased.

Prince Harry spoke last week about his mental health battle following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, and revealed that he had sought counselling.

Last month the head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, promised to prioritise mental health care as well as cancer, A&E and GP services. But Freedom of Information requests by Pulse magazine found that funding has been cut from £59.2million in 2016/17 to £57.3million in 2017/18 in Walsall CCG, from £25million to £24.5million in South Sefton CCG on Merseyside, and from £23.5million to £22.9million in St Helens CCG, also on Merseyside.

It has been reduced from £18.65million to £18.15million in Scarborough and Ryedale CCG in North Yorkshire and from £21million to £19.98million in the Isle of Wight CCG. The true number of CCGs cutting funding is likely to be higher as only 127 out of the 209 organisations responded to the requests.