How Mental Illness Loses Out in the NHS A report by The Centre for Economic Performance's Mental Health Policy Group

Richard Layard

CEP Reports from Centre for Economic Performance, LSE

Abstract: Mental illness accounts for a massive share of the total burden of disease. Even when we include the burden of premature death mental illness accounts for 23% of the total burden of disease. Yet, despite the existence of cost-effective treatments, it receives only 13% of NHS health expenditure. The under-treatment of people with crippling mental illnesses is the most glaring case of health inequality in our country. The need for a rethink is urgent. At present mental health care is, if anything, being cut. It should be expanded. This is a matter of fairness, to remedy a gross inequality, and it is a matter of simple economics - the net cost to the NHS would be very small. When everyone praises early intervention, it is particularly shocking that the sharpest cuts today are those affecting children.

Keywords: NHS; health policy; wellbeing; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012-06
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