Underfunding mental health hits LGBTs hard

3.20.53pm GMT Sat 13th Jan 2007

Sandra Gidley MP

Commenting on yesterday's [Friday] report from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health showing what would be needed to meet the ten-year National Service Framework for adult mental health care, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Sandra Gidley MP said: "If the findings of this report are not heeded the Government will once again be guilty of neglecting, and underfunding, some of the most needy our society.

"This problem may be exacerbated as mental health services feel the brunt of cuts resulting from deficits. The recent Health Select Committee report pointed out that 'soft targets' were particularly vulnerable to cuts, and specifically mentioned mental health.

"The Government must act to ensure that money is available to achieve the aims of the national service framework. Funds must not be diverted elsewhere under practice based commissioning. There can be no further excuses."

DELGA Chair Jen Yockney added, "Time and again reports from respected organisations like MIND show that on average lesbian and gay people - and even more so bisexuals - have greater mental health needs than the population as a whole. As such continued government underfunding of mental health services will especially affect many people in the LGBT communities."