Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Shameful Tory decline that has let down a generation BY
WE all know the awful toll of statistics: 137,000 dead, 550,000 hospitalised and over two million estimated to be suffering from long Covid.
But less is known about another serious side-effect of the pandemic – its impact on people’s mental health.
Inevitably, things have been made worse because of a decade of neglect from the Conservative Government.
Waiting lists are soaring, hospital admissions for mental illnesses are up, and patients continue to be sent miles away for treatment.
Shamefully, the Tories have cut a quarter of all mental health beds in England since 2010.
Labour would begin to put things right. We’d guarantee mental health treatment within a month, setting a new NHS target, and ensuring Labour would commit to patients start treatment – providing specialist mental not simply an assessment – health support in all schools – within a month of referral. a full-time professional in
We would recruit 8,500 every secondary and a parttime staff so a million more could professional in every access treatment every year primary. We would also have by the end of our first term. open-access mental health
It breaks my heart, as a hubs for young people in frontline medic, to have to every community. tell patients services they Throughout the pandemic, rely on are just not there – health and care staff have like addiction support, which been the glue that held our so many desperately need. country together. The impact
This World Mental Health Covid has placed on them, Day the theme is “Mental after the erosion of public Health in an Unequal World” services, is taking its toll. – very fitting after the Labour announced our pandemic has laid bare the Care for Carers package last inequalities we all face. June, to ensure that all three
The virus hasn’t hit all million health and care staff communities equally. Many could get the tailored who suffered were black, support they need.
Asian and minority ethnic. I’m proud to support the
In intensive care, I saw row Mirror’s HeadStrong after row of patients from campaign, seeking huge those communities. Some progress in reducing mental had been caring for loved illness stigma, encouraging ones, stacking shop shelves, more people to seek help. keeping transport moving. We need a government
It was health inequalities, which will ensure proper all too prevalent in society, support and treatment when that permitted the virus to people need it most.
For more on mental health across all age groups, watch videos of this week’s HeadStrong Lives with Alastair Campbell, Shadow Mental Health Secretary Dr Rosena AllinKhan, a Samaritans advice clinic and more. ravage communities – to the eternal shame of ministers.
The Government is also letting down a generation of young people. Even before the pandemic, children were denied desperately needed care. In 2019-20, 27% were turned away from mental health services despite a referral from a professional.
During the pandemic, this figure soared to 37%.
In A&E, it often feels that the age of those coming in self-harming or with eating disorders is getting younger and younger – some aged 11.
How I hate having to be the doctor who tells another teenager that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services simply can’t come and see them, again.
HUBS