Turning point for talking therapy
Posted on 09. Mar, 2009 by NW1er in News
This weekend, The Observer carried news relating to a Department of Health announcement to deliver a ‘package of measures’ to help unemployed people experiencing depression/anxiety get back to work. At its core, the recommendation focuses on increasing access to talking therapies so that unemployed people with depression can address mental health issues and subsequently be in a better position to enter the employment market place. The move is based on data from past recessions, which shows that the number of people out-of-work on inactive benefits increases during a recession period. The plan will involve training more than three and half thousand more therapists.
Some commentators have suggested that it is typical of the Government to take action on mental health only in a time of crisis, but this is unfair. In 2008, the Government announced an increase in funding for talking therapies. This was not as a response to the recession, but was designed to increase patient choice and provide a holistic approach to mental health management, in line with the most up-to-date thinking in psychology and psychiatry.
As for this weekend’s statement, we should view this as an extension to the 2008 announcement, rather than an additional piece of policy that stands alone. For example, the number of additional staff that the Department of Health has promised to train remains the same in both announcements. This may be a clever piece of political PR to get two bursts of coverage from one policy move, but there seems to be more here: the tie-up with the Department of Work and Pensions marks a new move in mental health management, and reflects a holistic approach from Government. Hopefully, the country’s decision-makers are starting to realise that joined-up approaches at both the macro and micro level are required to tackle the complicated health and well-being issues our society faces.
In terms of pharmaceutical communications within this arena, the challenge is tricky: pharmacological treatments for mental health have proven benefits, but the tide is turning in favour of talking therapies. Healthcare communicators have a responsibility to communicate the pharmacological side of the story, so that the best treatment decisions for patients can be made. Aurora has written an Insight on this topic, click here to read more.
Neil Crump
09. Mar, 2009
I think this is really good news. I am a big advocate of talking therapy, which when combined with exercise, the support of friends and family and modern medicines can transform people’s lives.
NW1er
10. Mar, 2009
In yesterday’s ‘Health on Monday’ section of the Daily Telegraph, there was an interesting article from Max Pemberton, who recently published ‘Trust me, I’m a junior doctor.’ He talked about an Alzheimer’s patient who was regularly visited by a Chaplain from the hospital and how this seemed to assist her recovery, and used this as an argument to counter criticism that Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust received for recently introducing a spiritual needs assessments when admitting patients. Max’s argument echoes some of the points in our mental health insights – that we should be cautious about being too reductionistic when approaching healthcare delivery – human existence is affected at multiple levels – physical, psychological and social, and all of these aspects affect how we respond to illness and recovery. Perhaps North Somerset PCT should have considered this when suspending a nurse for praying for a patient, but similarly healthcare professionals should be mindful that not all patients will want such services – hence why the needs assessment seems like a good idea!
kevin blumer
09. Dec, 2010
well did we actually get any more help with the last government or not? I hope david camron himself puts a bit of support our way with mental health disabilities. This is something that we really need. i read stories about mental health all over the place October last year but as of yet i haven’t seen major this year
neilcrump
09. Dec, 2010
Hi Kevin – thanks for dropping by and your thoughtful comment. It will be interesting to see how in these times of austerity which areas of health are prioritised. Let us all hope that mental health gets the support that it needs.