ALABARÉ Says Urgent Funding is Required for Complex Mental Health Needs
We're urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Government to increase funding levels for complex mental health support, following the his commitment to back community-based services.
ALABARÉ is urging Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his Government to increase funding levels for complex mental health support, following the Prime Minister’s commitment to back community-based services.
During his first Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament this week (Wednesday, 2 September), Andy Burnham stated that he believed mental health services ‘have to do better’.
That also comes as a £343 million Government fund is being announced in the summer to create 100 new community mental health centres (CMHCs), and 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments (MHEDs).
Those plans would include one MHED in the Wiltshire area and four CMHCs across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with locations yet to be confirmed.
Statistics from the Department of Health suggest that 1 in 5 people in the UK are experiencing a mental health condition each year, with demand steadily increasing for both clinical and non-clinical support.
What mental health services do ALABARÉ provide?
We offer support for people across Wiltshire, as part of the collaborative partnership covering the Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) region.
That includes the Riverside Sanctuary Place of Calm, based at ALABARÉ’s offices on Watt Road, Salisbury, which is available for visitors every evening between 4.00 and 11.00 pm, with no appointments needed.
The service is a viable alternative to A&E for people facing immediate mental health challenges, without long waiting times, with referrals also taken from blue light services.
The team can also signpost to other services as part of their recovery journey, such as the Access Community Mental Health Team, operated by ALABARÉ throughout the county.
They support clients with finding local mental health services and resources, developing coping skills, and planning for greater independence and long-term wellbeing.
Riverside Sanctuary and Access Community Mental Health are open to anyone aged 16 or over who is registered with a GP and/or lives in Wiltshire, is willing to speak in a safe environment and is not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
For more complex issues, which don’t require hospital admission, we also have three Crisis Houses – two in Swindon and another in Chippenham – for clients to access short-term, non-clinical residential respite care for a period of 7 to 10 days.
60% of clients have reported that ALABARÉ’s support has helped them avoid harmful situations, with more than a third (37%) saying they are better able to cope with their mental health concerns.
How can ALABARÉ support the Government’s plan?
We have vast expertise in supporting people through mental health concerns, helping clients find their own recovery plans and coping mechanisms within their communities.
We also have strong collaboration with clinical services, such as the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, to provide either step-up or step-down care as part of the journey to improved outcomes.
The Government’s focus on community mental health care aligns closely with ALABARÉ’s provision, and the charity stands ready to share best practice to help shape a transformed care system.
What else does the Government need to do?
We’re calling for the funding that is being set aside for improvements to mental health support to include additional focus on more complex issues, to streamline and strengthen the pathway of care available to people facing mental health challenges.
This would relieve pressure on an over-stretched NHS but also support the Prime Minister’s pledge to make it easier to get support, ensuring those in crisis get the right care in the right place.
Helen Brain, Head of Mental Health Services at ALABARÉ, said:
Find out more about ALABARÉ's Mental Health services HERE“I’m pleased to have seen the Prime Minister recognising that mental health care is not currently set up to deal with increasing demand, and the complexities of the challenges people are facing. At ALABARÉ, our community mental health care provision is supporting people as the first port of call, and we’re well placed to help deliver the Government’s planned approach, drawing on our experience providing person-centred and trauma-informed support.
“However, it’s vitally important that there’s also improved funding to ensure clients with the most severe mental health crises are also better supported, and that the pathway of care is clearer and smoother. We have found that mental health services rooted in lived experience can also be extremely beneficial in ensuring that support is tailored for those who need it most and would encourage the Government to engage closely with charities like ours to gain knowledge of the most appropriate next steps.”
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