Commenting on today’s government announcement on health and social care, Mark Winstanley, Chief Executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said:

“There has been a huge amount of noise generated in the debate around health and social care reform, but we are waiting for the government to speak up and explain how plans will support the thousands of people living with mental illness who rely on this support.

“Funding for the NHS will not address the significant mental health backlog, and with £1 of every £12 spent on social care needed to support people severely affected by mental illness, no plan for reform can be considered comprehensive without it. The smaller proportion of investment announced today for social care is not only insufficient to address the widespread challenges which now face mental health social care, but current plans appear to focus on tackling only one of the many problems within the current system.

“We are pleased to see long-awaited action on social care, and today's announcement has set some of the wheels in motion. However, we will not succeed in reaching a point where people can be confident they can access the health and social care they need if mental health is not genuinely included in planned reforms. Alongside people living with mental illness and their carers, we call for reassurance that their needs will be met.”