No more budget cuts, says the King’s Trust

November 16, 2015 at 3:24 pm

Funding cuts are putting mental health services under a ‘huge amount of strain’, says English think tank the King’s Fund.

The English health charity has published a report called ‘Mental Health under Pressure’, which states that large-scale changes to mental health services are having a negative impact on patient care.

The briefing revealed that there is widespread evidence of poor-quality care, with only 14 per cent of patients saying that they received appropriate care in a crisis.

It also found that bed occupancy rates are routinely exceeding recommended levels.

Around 40 per cent of mental health trusts have experienced cuts to their budget over the past two financial years, the report disclosed.

The King’s Fund said: “As [trusts’] financial situation deteriorates, many are considering a further wave of large-scale changes, which could further destabilise services and reduce the quality of care for patients.

“They need to focus on using evidence to improve practice and reduce variations in care, but it is essential that this is underpinned by stable funding, with no more cuts to budgets.”

November 16, 2015 at 3:24 pm | News | No comment