FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH

That this House welcomes the extra media coverage afforded to mental health as a result of World Mental Health Day; notes the findings of the independent Mental Health Taskforce that called for extra spending to tackle the chronic underfunding of services and committed the NHS to a major transformation of mental health care; recognises the centrality of an engaged, supported and well-trained workforce in delivering this transformation; supports ongoing efforts to make parity of esteem between mental and physical health care a reality across the NHS; further notes that extra funding has been provided this year to help improve mental health services, particularly for children and younger people; expresses concern therefore that many areas appear to be cutting back spending on mental health in the current financial year; and calls on the Government to ensure that, at a time when NHS finances are extremely tight, the extra funding reaches the services and patients it is intended for.