FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Early day motion 597, tabled 25 October 2016 by Baroness Berger (Labour/Co-operative). Signed by 57 members.

That this House welcomes the extra media coverage afforded to mental health as a result of World Mental Health Day; notes the findings of the independent Mental Health Taskforce that called for extra spending to tackle the chronic underfunding of services and committed the NHS to a major transformation of mental health care; recognises the centrality of an engaged, supported and well-trained workforce in delivering this transformation; supports ongoing efforts to make parity of esteem between mental and physical health care a reality across the NHS; further notes that extra funding has been provided this year to help improve mental health services, particularly for children and younger people; expresses concern therefore that many areas appear to be cutting back spending on mental health in the current financial year; and calls on the Government to ensure that, at a time when NHS finances are extremely tight, the extra funding reaches the services and patients it is intended for.

Signatures by party: Labour 26, Scottish National Party 9, DUP 4, Labour/Co-operative 4, Liberal Democrat 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Independent 2, Plaid Cymru 2, UUP 2, Conservative 1, Green 1.