Scotland’s Mental Health Partnership is extremely disappointed that investment in mental health has not been increased by this week’s Scottish budget. With an ambitious Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy now agreed, SMHP was anticipating new investment to deliver moves towards prevention and community based supports.
Lee Knifton, Chair of SMHP, said, “This is a missed opportunity for mental health. There is no indication that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spend to 10% of the NHS budget, no increase to the Mental Health Directorate budget for the second successive year, meaning a large cut in real terms, and no new investment for preventative work.”
“We are keen to begin working with government to deliver on the new strategy but had expected to see mental health as a priority for new investment. Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overstretched.”