CONFERENCE: Cable gives pledge on mental health

From Cathy Reay in Bournemouth

The Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats promised today (Sunday) that mental health is high on the party’s agenda amid fears that it would not be exempt under their plans for public service spending cuts.

Speaking exclusively to Disability Now, Deputy Leader and Treasury Spokesperson Dr Vince Cable MP said: “I want to approach mental health in a systematic way and not just allow people to make cuts across the board. I have had these issues in my family so I feel passionately about it."

Meanwhile, in a speech to party members, Norman Lamb MP, the Lib Dem spokesman on health, said: “mental health services, which I feel very passionate about, are still not good enough. The NHS is not a regret but there are still areas that need improving, we know that. Reform is not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

The Liberal Democrats are the only party committed to ensuring equal treatment to those waiting months on end for therapy. It’s down to us to give the NHS a better identity.”

Speaking to Disability Now, Lamb said that one issue in mental health he feels passionate about is decreasing waiting times.

“It’s ridiculous that people should have to wait months on end for therapy,” he said.

A disabled Conservative Party member attending the conference who previously worked in a Mental Health Trust and did not want to be named, told Disability Now that Trust directors and chief executives should not be paid so much more than the people directly helping NHS users.

”Private psychologists, for example, can charge whatever they like, but psychologists in the NHS only earn around £30,000.

"The government needs to increase wages for psychologists and other middle-level workers directly helping NHS users so more people are attracted to the roles and to ultimately, as Lamb said, decrease waiting times.”

1      Richard Layard’s paper Mental Health: Britain’s Biggest Social Problem can be viewed at http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/strategy/seminars/mental_health.aspx