Suella welcomes NHS Funding Bill and Champions the Cause of Mental Health
Suella has welcomed the Government’s confirmation that Under the NHS Funding Bill 2019-20, the Government commits to increase investment in the NHS in the years to 2024. This will result in a £33.9 billion increase in cash terms by 2023/24, with total NHS England spending rising to £148.5 billion in 2024. This represents a £20.5 billion increase in real terms.
Local authorities across the country, including Fareham, will receive a sizeable share of the funding. In her landmark NHS speech on the 4th February Suella drew member’s attention to the benefits the bill will bring for mental health. She noted that by 2023-24, under the proposals in the Bill, at least an additional 345,000 children and young people under 25 will be able to access support via NHS-funded mental health services.
Identifying several personal encounters with those who suffer from issues surrounding mental health in Fareham Suella outlined the issues facing many young people in the constituency, providing them with a voice in parliament. Many of these individuals have complex needs which do not necessarily fit into the diagnostics box prompting Suella to call for more accessible lower care and treatment to meet the demand.
Whilst noting that there is much to be done in the field Suella also commended the government on its commitment to mental health, particularly children and young people’s mental health. She identified that the increased funding will go a great way towards improving some of those systemic problems, such as resources and waiting times.
Finally, Suella highlighted in her speech the Fareham Community Hospital, which is an incredible facility in Fareham which is well located and in excellent condition. Following on from a wide-ranging consultation with hundreds of residents and stakeholders, she authored a document outlining her vision for the hospital and her desires to transform it into a “mental health hub” for all the community.
Commenting, Suella said:
“In the light of the demands and challenges in the local area with young people’s mental health there is a great opportunity here for more funding and more co-ordination so that Fareham Community Hospital can be better harnessed, so that our young people, and also other people who need mental health support, can use the facility and capitalise on it in the most effective way.”
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ENDS
Notes:
- A link to the Fareham Community Hospital Future Vision document can be found here: https://issuu.com/suellabravermanmp/docs/fch_future_vision
- A link to Suella’s speech can be found here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-02-04/debates/A3B1554C-FB48-4F9B-A6EA-B78AD05D0E02/NHSFundingBill#contribution-CFFE118E-C439-42A1-8F44-71CA9ECA57E2 (Text)
