NHS data showing how much local areas across England are planning to spend on mental health services over the next year reveal signiicant variation, according to analysis carried out by the mental health charity Mind.
In 2016 the NHS committed to investing £1.6bn in these services by 2020/21, and a further £2.3bn a year by 2023/24 as part of the Long Term Plan. The NHS reports that all areas are meeting its Mental Health Investment Standard, which requires any increase in overall spending to be matched in mental health. This standard has promoted increased investment, but Mind’s analysis reveals it does not show the whole picture.
The latest NHS igures show signiicant variation, with some areas spending almost half per person on mental health compared to other places. The igures show: