Labour’s chair of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Brighton & Hove City Council, Cllr Clare Moonan, has rung the alarm bell about the devastating impact on our city’s young people of the lack of proper funding for mental health services.

Cllr Moonan has highlighted the perfect storm of Government underfunding, Covid-19 increasing demand for other services, and staff shortages that are threatening the life chances of children and young people suffering with mental health problems in Brighton & Hove, and across the UK.

Cllr Moonan received a report from NHS commissioners and providers of young people’s mental health services at a recent meeting of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee that highlighted some of the issues.

Describing mental health as a ‘Cinderella’ service that is attracting less and less funding than physical health, Cllr Moonan questioned why Government was not acting to ensure parity between the quality and provision of physical and mental health services.

Cllr Moonan said:

“Staff who work in mental health have worked extremely hard during the pandemic, and have real drive, passion and commitment to their jobs. They are doing the very best they can for our young people.

“But the continued lack of funding for services plus two years of Covid – which has triggered a huge rise in young people’s mental health in the city – is stretching already under-pressure services to snapping point.”

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Image by Eric Ward via Unsplash