Mental Health Services

Lord Harrison Excerpts

Thursday 28th April 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

I think there is a general recognition that mental health has been the Cinderella service of the NHS for generations and that, within that, mental health provision for children and young people has been a Cinderella service within the Cinderella service. We are putting a great deal of resource into it. Yes, I have visited a number of mental health care trusts. We all know at first hand that the service is highly underfunded, which is why we have committed to spend this extra money on it over the next five years.

[Lord Harrison (Lab)]

My Lords, is not the underlying problem for the health service that we simply do not have the quantum of money and resources available to deal with the many challenges, of which mental health is one? The Minister will well know that diabetes, which is threatening to explode out of all recognition, is one of the others. We need more resources.

[Lord Prior of Brampton]

It is partly a question of resource, although I point out to the noble Lord that the country that spends the most money on healthcare and has the worst results is America. It is not just a question of resource. It is how we spend it as well as the amount of money.