Additional £8 million investment announced for mental health services in Wales
11 June 2015
More than £8 million of new investment in adult mental health services in Wales has been announced by Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford.
The additional funding will develop services to support people with dementia and increase the availability of psychological therapies across Wales.
Watch: Mental Health Today Wales 2015 keynote - Dr Dave Williams
More than £4.5 million will be invested in supporting people with dementia. There will be extra investment in occupational therapy and activity support on older people’s mental health wards – two areas that were highlighted in the recent programme of spot checks on these wards in hospitals across Wales.
Psychiatric liaison teams will also be set up at all district general hospitals to ensure people have access to timely mental health assessments on admission, which will in turn help to reduce their length of stay and readmission rates.
Professor Drakeford said: "The new funding for services to support people affected by dementia will underpin our Wales: a Dementia Friendly Nation initiative and is in addition to the £1 million of funding that I announced at the time.
"The additional investment will drive a range of important improvements in a number of key areas linked to the priorities set out in the Welsh Government’s mental health strategy Together for Mental Health, ensuring people who need care and support receive the right services in the right place at the right time."
More than £15 million to mental health in 2015
This latest funding comes on top of £7.6 million funding for child and adolescent mental health services and £1 million funding for dementia link nurses and support workers earlier this year, meaning that more than £15 million of new funding is being made available for mental health services in Wales this financial year.
The Welsh Government has also protected mental health spending for a number of years and has extended the mental health ring-fence from £389 million five years ago to £587 million in 2014-15.
Almost a quarter of the latest round of funding will be invested to deliver the Programme for Government commitment to improve access to psychological therapies for adults. An action plan to help services increase the availability of talking treatments will also be launched shortly.
Elsewhere, £1.5 million will be allocated to improve mental health outcomes for women with perinatal illnesses, their babies and other children. This will form an important component of the Welsh Government’s early years approach, which is linked to the tackling poverty agenda.
In addition, nearly £230,000 will be provided to health boards and local authorities to support the implementation of new legislative requirements under the Mental Capacity Act.
To find out more about the funding allocations visit www.wales.nhs.uk
The additional funding will develop services to support people with dementia and increase the availability of psychological therapies across Wales.
Watch: Mental Health Today Wales 2015 keynote - Dr Dave Williams
More than £4.5 million will be invested in supporting people with dementia. There will be extra investment in occupational therapy and activity support on older people’s mental health wards – two areas that were highlighted in the recent programme of spot checks on these wards in hospitals across Wales.
Psychiatric liaison teams will also be set up at all district general hospitals to ensure people have access to timely mental health assessments on admission, which will in turn help to reduce their length of stay and readmission rates.
Professor Drakeford said: "The new funding for services to support people affected by dementia will underpin our Wales: a Dementia Friendly Nation initiative and is in addition to the £1 million of funding that I announced at the time.
"The additional investment will drive a range of important improvements in a number of key areas linked to the priorities set out in the Welsh Government’s mental health strategy Together for Mental Health, ensuring people who need care and support receive the right services in the right place at the right time."
More than £15 million to mental health in 2015
This latest funding comes on top of £7.6 million funding for child and adolescent mental health services and £1 million funding for dementia link nurses and support workers earlier this year, meaning that more than £15 million of new funding is being made available for mental health services in Wales this financial year.
The Welsh Government has also protected mental health spending for a number of years and has extended the mental health ring-fence from £389 million five years ago to £587 million in 2014-15.
Almost a quarter of the latest round of funding will be invested to deliver the Programme for Government commitment to improve access to psychological therapies for adults. An action plan to help services increase the availability of talking treatments will also be launched shortly.
Elsewhere, £1.5 million will be allocated to improve mental health outcomes for women with perinatal illnesses, their babies and other children. This will form an important component of the Welsh Government’s early years approach, which is linked to the tackling poverty agenda.
In addition, nearly £230,000 will be provided to health boards and local authorities to support the implementation of new legislative requirements under the Mental Capacity Act.
To find out more about the funding allocations visit www.wales.nhs.uk
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