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New £5.5m funding for mental health help in Wales | New £5.5m funding for mental health help in Wales |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Patients in Wales with mental health problems may be able to access more help from their GPs with new funding. | Patients in Wales with mental health problems may be able to access more help from their GPs with new funding. |
The Welsh government says its £5.5m investment will mean more patients have care plans tailored to their needs. | The Welsh government says its £5.5m investment will mean more patients have care plans tailored to their needs. |
It is also expanding its advocacy service to help them understand their legal rights. | It is also expanding its advocacy service to help them understand their legal rights. |
Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said the money would pay for some of the proposals in the Mental Health Wales Measure, which became law in 2010. | Health Minister Lesley Griffiths said the money would pay for some of the proposals in the Mental Health Wales Measure, which became law in 2010. |
About £3.5m will go towards support at a local level. | About £3.5m will go towards support at a local level. |
The rest will fund an expanded independent mental health advocacy service. | The rest will fund an expanded independent mental health advocacy service. |
It is hoped this would help patients make informed decisions about their care and treatment. | It is hoped this would help patients make informed decisions about their care and treatment. |
The Mental Health Wales Measure is designed to ensure services are better designed around patients' needs. | The Mental Health Wales Measure is designed to ensure services are better designed around patients' needs. |
Mrs Griffiths said: "With one in four people suffering from mental health issues at some point in their lifetime, this funding will mean better support for people closer to their homes. | Mrs Griffiths said: "With one in four people suffering from mental health issues at some point in their lifetime, this funding will mean better support for people closer to their homes. |
"This additional money will mean mental health services will be available within primary care settings and be delivered alongside general health services provided by GPs. | "This additional money will mean mental health services will be available within primary care settings and be delivered alongside general health services provided by GPs. |
"It also means that mental health services will be more personalised, focusing on the recovery model of care and treatment, appropriately tailored for specific groups. | "It also means that mental health services will be more personalised, focusing on the recovery model of care and treatment, appropriately tailored for specific groups. |
'More tailored approach' | |
"It will also mean that individuals will get timely access to assessment when they have been discharged from secondary mental health services but feel they would again benefit from further treatment." | "It will also mean that individuals will get timely access to assessment when they have been discharged from secondary mental health services but feel they would again benefit from further treatment." |
Professor Ceri Phillips, a health economist at Swansea University, said: "It's not a lot of money, but given that we haven't got any money to invest then I suppose it registers on the significant scale. | |
"It's probably 1% more than is currently spent on mental health services in Wales." | |
He added: "What is significant is that it is probably targeted at one of the recommendations that the Welsh Audit Office made in a report six months ago where they were advocating that more capacity was needed in primary care to be able to support people with mental health." | |
Rachel Bowen, of mental health charity Mind Cymru, said people should get a "more tailored approach, more quickly". | |
She added: "One of the things that people should notice is that when they go to their GP they should get a more detailed assessment of their mental health needs if they present with a mental health problem." |
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