Psychological therapies will continue to be rolled out across the NHS
in the coming year Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today.
Visiting a psychological therapies service in Berkshire West with
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow, he outlined plans to take forward
the Government’s commitment to increase access to services by pledging
£70 million over the next year. This will ensure services can continue
to run this year and that new services can be established.
Psychological therapies are internationally recognised as an
effective treatment for common mental health conditions like depression
and anxiety disorders. They can be used as an alternative or alongside
medication to drive more effective prescribing.
Andrew Lansley said:
“Our Coalition Programme set out our intention to ensure greater
access to talking therapies. We want to offer long-term solutions to
people with mental health problems and psychological therapies do that.
“Working through issues gives people the skills to manage them and
deal with them more effectively if they recur.
“Depression affects up to one in six people at some point in their
life and good mental health services are a key part of a preventative
and patient-centred NHS. We will broaden the geographical coverage of
services and also the range of therapies available. This will help us to
deliver more choice and give people better access to the right
psychological support.”
Charles Waddicor, NHS Berkshire West Chief Executive, said:
“The announcement that psychological therapies will be expanded is
good news for patients. In Berkshire West we are developing a successful
Talking Therapies service which is delivering positive results helping
to improve the health and wellbeing of patients. We welcome the fact
that this service had a good outcome: since 1st April 2010 it has helped
get 64 people off benefits and back to work which has contributed to
improving their health.”
Chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners Professor
Steve Field said:
“I am absolutely delighted that the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley
has announced his continued commitment to roll out psychological
therapies across England.
“The RCGP has been committed to improving access to psychological
therapies to patients; we know that psychological therapies work, and if
made more widely available, will provide benefits to the many people
across the country whose lives are affected by mental health problems.
If used properly, improved access to, and choice of psychological
therapies will also benefit the economy and lead to long term savings
for the NHS.”
Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:
“It is early days for the programme, but we know we need to do more
to increase the number of trained therapists and reduce waiting times.
It means that by 2011, we will have trained over 3,600 therapists, with
services up and running in every part of the country.”
Berkshire West’s Talking Therapies is recognised as a site of best
practice in GP development for psychological therapies. The service is
delivering good outcomes in terms of people who are moving to recovery
and in helping people coming off benefits or back to work.
Notes to Editors
For further information or for pictures, contact the Department of
Health press office on: 020 7210 5221
In October 2007, following the last CSR, the previous Government made
a commitment to begin to roll out psychological therapy services across
England by making an additional central investment rising to £173
million by 2010/11. Over the last two years, £103 million of additional
investment has been made - additional through central investment and now
through PCT baseline allocations. The £70 million to be announced today
will confirm the allocation of the final instalment of this growth
funding.
Funding for this programme in future years will be determined as part
of the Government's spending review process.
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk
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