UK General Election 2015

General Election 2015 Policy Focus:

Liberal Democrats pledge £3.5bn on mental health care

Statistics show that one in four of us will experience mental health issues.

So, on day two of the campaign, the Liberal Democrats have put this issue at the centre of their activities launching their ‘Manifesto for the Mind’.

Describing a situation where “millions are denied the opportunity to get on and live happy, fulfilling lives”, Nick Clegg’s party’s pledge is to spend £3.5bn more on mental health care in England over the next parliament.

The funding is part of a commitment to “revolutionise” children’s and adult mental health care. Measures include:

• £250m over five years for pregnant women and mums dealing with depression. This would include eight new mother and baby units providing inpatient care for pregnant women and new mums and 40 new community services helping new mums adjust to life at home with a new born.
• New waiting time standards for people in crisis and for conditions like bipolar disorder so that those who are ill know how long they have to wait.
• Hundreds of thousands more people will get access to talking therapies for anxiety and depression.

The party claims some success already in this area over the last five years in coalition. Mr Clegg said, “in the coalition government’s final Budget we secured more than a billion pounds to revolutionise services for children and young people, alongside the first ever waiting times standards and a plan to roll out talking therapies across England.

The party is clearly keen to continue to continue this work stating, “Equality for people with mental health issues is a liberal mission.”