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| Depression targeted by government | Depression targeted by government |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The government is preparing to announce a major shift in mental health policy in England with a new emphasis on tackling and preventing depression. | The government is preparing to announce a major shift in mental health policy in England with a new emphasis on tackling and preventing depression. |
| The 10-year strategy is expected to call for better identification of those most at risk and wider access to psychological therapies for patients. | The 10-year strategy is expected to call for better identification of those most at risk and wider access to psychological therapies for patients. |
| Depression or anxiety affect one in six people at any given time, but only a quarter of those is in treatment. | |
| It is not clear what, if any, funding will be available to back the plans. | It is not clear what, if any, funding will be available to back the plans. |
| We need to be better at preventing depression, better at treating it and better at reducing the impact of depression Professor Louis ApplebyNational Director for Mental Health in England | |
| Professor Louis Appleby, the government's mental health tsar, said depression had a huge impact on society. | |
| He said: "We need to be better at preventing depression, better at treating it and better at reducing the impact of depression." | |
| Professor Appleby said depression affected physical health, raising the risk of conditions such as stroke, and the likelihood that people would not seek treatment if they became ill. | |
| He said it was important to tackle the issue as early as possible, for instance, by providing the right atmosphere for children to thrive and build self esteem at school. | |
| The World Health Organization warned in September that in 20 years' time more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem. | The World Health Organization warned in September that in 20 years' time more people will be affected by depression than any other health problem. |
| The strategy, to be published on Monday, is expected to say that depression is as big a problem as heart disease. | The strategy, to be published on Monday, is expected to say that depression is as big a problem as heart disease. |
| Sources say the ambition of the plans to prevent and treat depression are unprecedented in Europe. | Sources say the ambition of the plans to prevent and treat depression are unprecedented in Europe. |
| Huge savings? | Huge savings? |
| Since 2007, there has been a £170m programme to increase access to a type of treatment called cognitive behaviour therapy, which is designed to help patients to pinpoint - and then change - thoughts and actions that cause emotional problems. | Since 2007, there has been a £170m programme to increase access to a type of treatment called cognitive behaviour therapy, which is designed to help patients to pinpoint - and then change - thoughts and actions that cause emotional problems. |
| It came after the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence said anti-depressants should be reserved for the more severe cases. | It came after the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence said anti-depressants should be reserved for the more severe cases. |
| But the programme has been criticised by some as placing too much emphasis on one type of treatment. | But the programme has been criticised by some as placing too much emphasis on one type of treatment. |
| It is thought the plans to be outlined later will broaden the range of psychological therapies available for GPs to recommend for their patients. | It is thought the plans to be outlined later will broaden the range of psychological therapies available for GPs to recommend for their patients. |
| Much of the focus is expected to be on prevention - identifying those most at risk, particularly in schools. | Much of the focus is expected to be on prevention - identifying those most at risk, particularly in schools. |
| There will also be more help in the workplace, and support in finding a job. | There will also be more help in the workplace, and support in finding a job. |
| The hope is that a co-ordinated strategy, working across several government departments, could yield huge savings. | The hope is that a co-ordinated strategy, working across several government departments, could yield huge savings. |
| It is likely that critics will be watching closely to make sure the commitment is backed by resources. | It is likely that critics will be watching closely to make sure the commitment is backed by resources. |
| Mental health is already the single biggest part of the NHS budget with 13% of all funds going on community, hospital, and drug and alcohol addiction services. | Mental health is already the single biggest part of the NHS budget with 13% of all funds going on community, hospital, and drug and alcohol addiction services. |
| Dr Lynne Friedli, an expert on mental health who has written on the subject for the World Health Organization, said depression was most likely to hit the poorest in society. | |
| She said the government needed to tackle poverty and reduce inequality. | |
| "If we don't grasp the psychological impact of the big gap between rich and poor we will not have any impact on depression and anxiety." |