Debate on mental illness and NHS provisions

Written by Vincent Cable MP and published in The Informer on Fri 13th Apr 2007

I have secured a parliamentary debate this week on mental illness. Far more people experience mental breakdown than many of the physical ailments and injuries which dominate media coverage of the NHS. Somehow I can't imagine Holby City or Casualty dealing with it.

The issue is swept under the carpet. There is shame and embarrassment. I still vividly recall as a 10 year old being taunted by friends because my mother went to the "loony bin", suffering from post-natal depression.

The problems are enormous. Many prisoners are mentally ill yet their illness isn't dealt with in prison. A high proportion of people on invalidity benefit are mentally ill and cannot get back into work. Much anti-social behaviour revolves around mentally ill neighbours. Many cases of family breakdown and homelessness have mental illness as a cause or consequence. There are close links between mental illness, alcoholism and drugs.

The closure of the Victorian asylums has thrown the mentally ill back onto "care in the Community". If properly supported, community care works well. But all too often it breaks down. Seriously ill people are left to their own devices; relatives or friends are expected to help with caring.

I want, in the debate, to highlight our local needs and difficulties. Just as our council and the NHS start working more constructively together the government has taken a big bite out of the local NHS budget. I don't want the local mentally ill and their carers, and other vulnerable groups like people with learning disabilities, being made the victims of Mrs Hewitt's mismanagement and centralising tendencies.