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Ralf Little video accuses Jeremy Hunt of misleading public Ralf Little video accuses Jeremy Hunt of misleading public
(35 minutes later)
The actor Ralf Little has escalated his row with Jeremy Hunt by producing a video in which he accuses the health secretary of misleading the public about services for the mentally ill.The actor Ralf Little has escalated his row with Jeremy Hunt by producing a video in which he accuses the health secretary of misleading the public about services for the mentally ill.
The move comes after the pair became embroiled in a Twitter spat in which The Royle Family star “double dared” the Conservative cabinet member to sue him after he challenged claims that the NHS had overseen “the biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe”. The move comes after the pair became embroiled in a Twitter spat in which the Royle Family star disputed Hunt’s claims that the NHS had overseen “the biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe” and “double dared” the cabinet member to sue him if he was wrong.
Hunt hit back by calling on Little to find another major European country that had done better. “I double dare you,” he wrote.Hunt hit back by calling on Little to find another major European country that had done better. “I double dare you,” he wrote.
Now the actor has responded by teaming up with the Labour MP, Luciana Berger, and the Lib Dem MP, Norman Lamb, to accuse the health secretary of repeatedly opting for misleading figures. Now the actor has responded by teaming up with the Labour MP Luciana Berger and the Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb to accuse the health secretary of repeatedly using misleading figures.
“Watch Jeremy Hunt spin the truth about mental health. He tells us that the Tories have employed thousands more mental health workers,” starts Little, before the video cuts to the health secretary in the House of Commons talking about “4,300 more people working in mental health trusts”. “Watch Jeremy Hunt spin the truth about mental health. He tells us that the Tories have employed thousands more mental health workers,” starts Little, before the video cuts to the health secretary talking in the Commons about “4,300 more people working in mental health trusts”.
Berger cuts in with another “watch him spin” before clips of Hunt in front of a select committee and on the Andrew Marr show referencing the same numbers since 2010.Berger cuts in with another “watch him spin” before clips of Hunt in front of a select committee and on the Andrew Marr show referencing the same numbers since 2010.
The video then shows Hunt’s tweet responding to Little’s original attack: The video then shows Hunt’s tweet responding to Little’s original attack, with Hunt claiming 4,300 more people have been employed by mental health trusts since 2010.
4,300 more employed by mental health trusts, 2,700 more employed in talking therapies, 1400 more people treated every day since 2010. Isn’t it ur job 2 find a major European country that’s done better and faster rather than make assertions you can’t support? I double dare you4,300 more employed by mental health trusts, 2,700 more employed in talking therapies, 1400 more people treated every day since 2010. Isn’t it ur job 2 find a major European country that’s done better and faster rather than make assertions you can’t support? I double dare you
But it cites House of Commons library figures about mental health workers in both NHS trusts and CCG’s in England between 2010 and 2017 that show the numbers rose from 100,342 to 100,839. But it goes on to cite Commons library figures which show the number of mental health workers in both NHS trusts and CCG’s in England has risen from 100,342 to 100,839 since 2010.
“The actual increase of staff working in mental health since 2010 is under 500 – it is just 497,” adds Little.“The actual increase of staff working in mental health since 2010 is under 500 – it is just 497,” adds Little.
The Department of Health hit back by saying Hunt’s reference was to the change in the number of staff working in mental health and learning disability trusts between July 2013 (not 2010) and July 2017. The Department of Health said Hunt’s reference was to the change in the number of staff working in mental health and learning disability trusts between July 2013 (not 2010) and July 2017. It said this number rose from 162,611 to 166,905 – an increase of 4,294.
This number rose from 162,611 to 166,905 - an increase of 4,294 (rounded to 4,300), they say, rejecting the 497 as relating to a different definition and time period. Officials said Little’s claim of 497 was about those working in “mental health by their occupation between September 2010 and August 2017” - and so was a different definition and covered a different time period.
Officials said Little’s claim of 497 was about those working in “mental health by their occupation between September 2010 and August 2017” - and so was a different definition and covering a different time period.
They argued that while both numbers were correct, they believed the comparison used by Hunt was more meaningful because it captured more people in frontline services.They argued that while both numbers were correct, they believed the comparison used by Hunt was more meaningful because it captured more people in frontline services.
Berger told the Guardian that she helped produce the film to expose what was taking place in mental health. “We consistently hear big numbers from the secretary of state and yet there have been significant cuts in the sector since 2010. Ultimately we are no closer to achieving parity of esteem – real equality – for people suffering with their mental health.” Berger told the Guardian that she helped produce the film to expose what was happening in mental health services.
Lamb was mental health minister from 2012 to 2015, under the coalition government and during the period that covers the contested figures. “We consistently hear big numbers from the secretary of state and yet there have been significant cuts in the sector since 2010. Ultimately we are no closer to achieving parity of esteem – real equality – for people suffering with their mental health.”
“You’d hear that and think there were 4,300 more people working in mental health since 2010 right? The reality is a fraction of what he is saying,” he says in the film. Lamb was mental health minister under the coalition government from 2012-15, during the period that covers the contested figures.
Lamb told the Guardian that his experience in government was of a health system biased against the treatment of the mentally ill. “You’d hear that and think there were 4,300 more people working in mental health since 2010 right? The reality is a fraction of what he is saying,” Lamb says in the film.
He said that regular meetings with the health secretary at the time involved the “extraordinary micromanagement of data for every hospital” when it came to physical health “and nothing in mental health”. He told the Guardian his experience in government was of a health system biased against the treatment of the mentally ill. Regular meetings with the health secretary at the time involved the “extraordinary micromanagement of data for every hospital” regarding physical health “and nothing in mental health”.
He said he was fighting with a contracting workforce rather than being able to hail an expanding one when in government, and said ministers needed to give an honest take. He said he spent his time fighting with a shrinking workforce rather than being able to hail an expanding one, and that ministers needed to give an honest picture.
“I agreed to take part in the video, because I think it is terribly important we take very seriously the actual evidence of what is happening on the ground and avoid claims and counter-claims that often bear little resemblance to the reality on the ground,” Lamb said. “I agreed to take part in the video because I think it is terribly important we take very seriously the actual evidence of what is happening on the ground and avoid claims and counter-claims that often bear little resemblance to the reality,” Lamb said.
“I just think we undermine people’s trust in politics and politicians if we say things that don’t sound accurate.”“I just think we undermine people’s trust in politics and politicians if we say things that don’t sound accurate.”
But the department of health responded by insisting that Hunt had not misused figures. They highlighted comments from Little expressing his regret for accusing the minister on Twitter of having “knowingly lied”. The DoH insisted Hunt had not misused figures and highlighted comments from Little expressing his regret at accusing the minister of having “knowingly lied”.
“I was angry and a little bit over-confident. In hindsight, it was a regrettable choice of words,” he told LBC. “I was angry and a little bit over-confident. In hindsight, it was a regrettable choice of words,” he told LBC Radio.
A spokeswoman for the health secretary said:‎ “It’s no surprise to see politicians and activists from other parties making politically-motivated attacks on our ambitious expansion of mental health provision, but the facts as set out by ‎the independent chief executive of NHS England remain that the NHS is undergoing one of the world’s most ambitious efforts to expand mental health services for common mental health problems.” A spokeswoman for the health secretary said:‎ “It’s no surprise to see politicians and activists from other parties making politically motivated attacks on our ambitious expansion of mental health provision, but the facts as set out by ‎the independent chief executive of NHS England remain that the NHS is undergoing one of the world’s most ambitious efforts to expand mental health services for common mental health problems.”