Mental health care a problem for all

Published on 28th June 2007 in Letters

Sir - I write in respect of the article regarding mental health services which featured Brigg and Goole MP Ian Cawsey and I wonder if would allow me the opportunity to respond on a number of points.

Firstly, I have to say that I fully agree with Mr Cawsey that mental health services are often seen as the poor relation in health care terms and I would be more than happy to work with him, and indeed other people locally, to do all we can to raise the profile of mental health issues. Indeed, anyone who has spent any time with mental health patient carers, as I have done recently myself, could not fail to be touched by just how life-consuming dealing with people with mental health illnesses can become for their families and for this reason alone they do indeed deserve our full support.

In explaining the Mental Health Trust's proposals to close the Bartholomew House Unit I do think that Mr Cawsey slightly misses the point about what carers are actually asking for. Nobody disputes the fact that providing home treatment services to mental health patients in many situations would be entirely suitable and desirable. However, the problem that those of us who are campaigning against the closure of the Bartholomew House Unit have is that the Trust's proposals in many ways gives us an either/or option whereas what we really need to a mixture of both home service treatment and in-patient care.

There are all sorts of predictions that the demand for mental health care services is likely to increase in the future and therefore it would seem sensible to ensure that local people are provided with a reasonable mixture of provision which must include retaining in-patient mental health beds at the Bartholomew House Unit

Andrew Percy

(Prospective MP for Brigg and Goole)