Responding to the Liberal Democrats’ manifesto, Andy Bell, chief executive at Centre for Mental Health, said:
“The nation’s health and care services are in urgent need of investment and reform. So we’re pleased to see the Liberal Democrats setting out some promising pledges within their manifesto, launched today.
“We welcome the manifesto’s commitment to modernising the Mental Health Act, which is outdated, discriminatory, and gives too little regard to people’s rights and dignity. We also welcome the pledge to establish early support hubs for young people in every community, so that every young person gets quick, timely and easy-to-access support with their mental health when they need it.
“Investing in prevention means more of us can have better mental health. We therefore welcome the Liberal Democrat pledge to invest £1bn into local authority public health teams, to reduce child poverty by removing the two-child limit, and to introduce a new Clean Air Act, among other proposed environmental improvements.
“We are pleased to see proposed reforms to the social security and criminal justice systems that so often disadvantage people with mental health difficulties and racialised communities who are disproportionately caught up in them.
“An independent Mental Health Commissioner would help put mental health at the heart of government, so we’re pleased to see this proposal included within the Lib Dems’ manifesto. We also welcome the many proposed improvements to services that indirectly and directly affect mental health services, including the expansion of perinatal mental health care, early years support, school and community based counselling for children and young people, drug and alcohol services, and an end to out-of-area placements.
“All political parties must also commit to adopting a long-term, cross-government strategy for mental health, supported by adequate and sustainable funding. We urge whoever forms the next government to make mental health a priority so that we can achieve the vision set out in A Mentally Healthier Nation.”
