The Mental Health Foundation (MHF) launched their manifesto earlier this month (3rd October) setting out what political parties can do to make mental health research a priority during the General Election in 2015 and in government.
The manifesto entitled Prioritising Mental Health Research, has been produced as part of the work the MFH is doing as a member of the Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders; a group of charities that fund research and use research to underpin initiatives to improve the mental health of our communities.
The Foundation believes there is a vital role for government leadership in championing mental health research and promoting mentally healthy communities.
Given the attitude of the present Tory-led coalition government towards those suffering mental health problems and disability in general, obsrvers may be forgiven for thinking there is little chance of the Tories paying heed to the manifesto from the charity.
Nevertheless, the General Election 2015: Prioritising Mental Health Research document sets three priorities:
1. Championing mental health research funding in General Election manifestos
The next Government should redress the current imbalance in research funding.
2. Removing blockages to mental health research
We cannot improve mental health and wellbeing without better quality data and information, improved coordination of data sharing between government departments and more mental health knowledge among the wider public service workforce.
3. Giving priority to research that will make the biggest difference to people’s lives
Including research into children’s mental health, prevention and promotion of mental wellbeing and the links between mental and physical health. Setting research priorities should begin with the knowledge and experience of people with mental health problems.
The question of course is: why does research matter?
Asked this question; Gill Grimshaw, a carer told the Foundation:
“I cannot make my son better but boosting mental health research would give us both some hope for the future. My son has had severe mental health problems for over ten years and spends several months in hospital most years. We can see that his disease impacts on his physical as well as his mental health.
We can also see how much it costs to treat his disease. Since he became ill we have met so many people who have been pushed to the margins of society by mental ill health, trapped at home unable to be economically active, ending up in the criminal justice system or on the streets.
Not only are the services my son uses under-resourced but precious little new knowledge and data is being developed to help us understand how money could be best spent on him.
How soon can I expect priority to be given to mental health research?”
The Mental Health Foundation believe that investment in mental health research, much like other areas of mental health investment, has been sorely neglected for sometime.
Commenting on the launch of The Foundation’s manifesto, their CEO Jenny Edwards said:
"The impact of this is that people are losing out in vital treatments to improve mental well-being, and help them recover from mental ill-health.
We know that interventions such as mindfulness, ecotherapy, peer support and self-management work.
The next Government must address this lack of parity of mental health research and give priority to research that addresses prevention and promotion. "
You can download the full manifesto from the E-library Database using the search keyword, ‘prioritising’ (copy keyword and paste into keyword search box)
Source: Mental Health Foundation
