How is it that we can pump millions into new roads and stadiums but can't seem to scrape together enough cash to properly fund our mental health services.
I mean think about it, we're constantly hearing about how mental health is just as important as physical health, but when it comes down to it, the funding just isn't there. I've seen it firsthand in my work with vulnerable kids, they're the ones who suffer when we don't have enough therapists or support workers.
We need to change the way we fund mental health, it's as simple as that. My proposal is to divert some of the money we currently spend on crisis services and put it into prevention and early intervention. That means hiring more therapists, training more support workers, and actually listening to what people need instead of just reacting to emergencies.
It's not rocket science, it's just common sense.
Discussion (2)
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I read somewhere that the NHS is already short thousands of nurses, and that's for physical health stuff. Where are these mental health people going to come from, and how do we even train them fast enough?
It’s a bit like how we’re trying to get more Gaelic speakers by funding classes and resources, rather than just waiting for people to spontaneously learn it. We need to invest in the training and recruitment now, even if it means a short-term squeeze elsewhere, to build that capacity.