25 March 2010
The Future Vision Coalition, a group of eleven national mental health charities and representative organisations working together to renew mental health policy in England, today welcomed the publication by the Department of Health of a framework for improving mental health in communities across the country.
Speaking at the launch of Confident Communities, Brighter Futures – a framework for developing well-being, Coalition co-chair Dr Andrew McCulloch said: “The Future Vision Coalition welcomed New Horizons not least for its emphasis on public mental health. We are now delighted to welcome today’s framework which has a very valuable role in setting out the evidence for different approaches to mental health improvement.
“Mental ill health is both extremely common and very costly. It affects one in six of us every year and costs more than £77 billion. Every day, we have opportunities to promote good mental health in schools, workplaces and neighbourhoods yet we often don’t take them. And we can do much more to offer help more quickly when people first become unwell or are vulnerable because of events in their lives. If we took more of those opportunities, we could create a mentally healthier society and make substantial savings to public spending.
“But we need long term commitment to achieve change. This could be the beginning of another revolution in public mental health or it could all fade into the background and will do without that wider commitment. The challenge now is to develop a comprehensive public mental health strategy and to embed this within public health, where it belongs.”
Note to Editors
For more information please contact the Mental Health Foundation press office on 020 7803 1128/30 or email fgorman@mhrf.org.uk
The Future Vision Coalition comprises the Association of Directors of Adults Social Services, the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, the Local Government Association, the Mental Health Foundation, the Mental Health Network of the NHS Confederation, the Mental Health Providers Forum, Mind, Rethink, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and Together.
Today’s publication follows the publication in December 2009 of New Horizons, which replaced the National Service Framework for Mental Health. In July 2009, the coalition published its own Future Vision for Mental Health including proposals for a national public mental health strategy.
The Mental Health Foundation is a UK-wide charity that carries out pioneering research to improve the lives of the 1 in 4 people who experience a mental health problem each year. The Foundation communicates its research findings to a wide range of health professionals and the public. As well as providing millions of people with practical help and advice through information materials and resources, the charity uses the results of its research to improve services and influence mental health policy at the highest levels, including the Government.
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