Ministers have been accused of breaking their promises on mental health after £800m earmarked to improve services was diverted to shore up hospitals’ finances. A leading mental health charity and the Labour party said redirecting the money would hit patient care and hinder the drive, backed by Theresa May, to improve care for people with serious mental health problems. “It would be incredibly worrying if mental health investment was being sacrificed so that [NHS bodies] can balance their books,” said Mind chief executive Paul Farmer, who chaired the NHS taskforce on mental health that last year recommended sweeping changes, including to funding. Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England, last year said the money was “funding that would have been available from CCGs for mental health services, community health services, primary care and other things”. “The news that the government is using mental health funding to plug the gaps in other NHS spending flies in the face of Tory government pledges for improved funding for mental health,” said Barbara Keeley, shadow minister for mental health.

Source: The Guardian March 16, 2017 20:06 UTC