Local MPs debate on Mental Health Services

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 16th Apr 2007

Vincent Cable debates the state of mental health services in parliament

Vincent Cable MP (Lib Dem MP for Twickenham) has secured a debate in Parliament on Tuesday on local and national mental health services; and on Monday visits the Richmond Royal Hospital to discuss the reforms to local services currently been planned.

Vincent Cable said he had been "shocked by the scale of mental health problems I encounter amongst constituents. One in six adults suffer from clinical depression or anxiety disorders but only a quarter receive treatment. There is also rapid growth taking place - a third of all new applications for Incapacity Benefit are on grounds of mental illness and a very few are getting back into work. While we tend to focus on acute diseases like heart problems and cancer, a third of all illness is now mental illness. But it is mostly hidden and there is a lot of stigma attached to it. I know because my late mother suffered a serious breakdown during my childhood."

Vincent Cable added:

"Although the Government pays lip service to giving priority to mental health, these services have been in the front line of cuts. Our local mental health services are, at present, going through painful cuts because money has been taken from the local Primary Care Trust to plug deficits in other areas of the NHS. There will be a contraction in services for the seriously ill elderly patients with advanced Alzheimer's and many of the improvements in service promised by the Government are not happening locally."