Jeremy Corbyn Demands Mental Health Budget Be Ring-Fenced Amid Government 'Failure'

Labour leader warns of 'mental health crisis'.
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Jeremy Corbyn has demanded the government ring-fence funding for mental health care as he accused Theresa May of having “failed” patients.

Speaking during prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, the Labour leader said there was now an “acute” crisis in NHS mental health services.

“Despite legislating for parity of esteem, the government has failed to fund it,” he said.

“We have fewer resources for mental health trusts, fewer mental health nurses, fewer child and adolescent psychiatrists.

Corbyn added: “Will the prime minister commit to ring-fencing NHS mental health budgets to support those going through a mental health crisis at a time they most need our help and our support?”

May declined to agree to ring-fencing the mental health budget. But she told MPs the government had put “extra money” into mental health services.

“I am pleased to say that around 1,400 more people are accessing mental health services every day compared to when we came into power,” she said.

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The prime minister said Labour’s approach to the economy would lead to increased debt and less money for mental health services. “Ordinary working people would pay the price of Labour,” she said.

May yesterday signalled she the government would back the first ever long-term funding plan for the NHS.

In a victory for Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the prime minister has said she recognises “serious cost and demand pressures” on the health service and that a “multi-year” plan was on the cards.

Labour and Tory MPs on Twitter argued over the state of NHS mental health services as PMQs continued.

The reality is that services are being cut. Our key #mentalhealth service @YPASLiverpool saw a cut of 43% to its budget last year - £757,000. It used to be a national exemplar seeing young people within 3 weeks. Now nearly 500 children are on a 24 week waiting list. #pmqs

— Luciana Berger (@lucianaberger) March 28, 2018

Mental health spending fell by £600m between 2010 and 2015 and there are over 5,000 fewer mental health nurses than in 2010. #PMQs

— Dan Carden MP (@DanCardenMP) March 28, 2018

The Government is ensuring that 70,000 more children and young people a year will have access to high-quality NHS mental healthcare by 2020-21 and are making available an additional £1.4 billion to improve children and young people’s mental health services. #PMQs

— James Cleverly (@JamesCleverly) March 28, 2018

Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to attack @theresa_may on mental health fell flat at #PMQs because the Government is doing so much - increasing NHS mental health funding to £11.6bn, MH specialists in A&Es, £1.6bn more for children’s mental health + mental health & schools green paper...

— Helen Whately (@Helen_Whately) March 28, 2018
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