Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health

Sainsbury Centre welcomes report on recession and mental health

12 November 2009

The current recession should lead to more, not less, investment in effective support for people with mental health problems to gain and retain paid employment, Sainsbury Centre joint chief executive Dr Bob Grove said today.

Welcoming a report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Mental Health Network of the NHS Confederation and the LSE, Bob Grove said: "Today's report calls on public services to offer better support for people with mental health problems in tougher economic times. We strongly support that call.

"People with mental health problems have for too long been given little or no effective help to get or keep paid employment. We now know how to support people into jobs. The expected spending squeeze in public services should not stand in the way of doing what works. If anything, it should focus minds on investing in interventions that make people's lives better at less cost.

"We therefore support today's report in calling for action to prioritise public spending on mental health in services that generate long-lasting results. That means investing not just in effective employment support but in a cross-government public mental health strategy, in early intervention services for children at high risk of emotional and conduct problems and in diversion from custody for offenders with mental health problems.

"Together, these reforms would make a great difference in people's lives. They provide excellent value for public money and cost no more than existing services. We hope that today's report will help to bring about a sea change in the way people experiencing or at risk of mental distress are supported to fulfil their potential in life."