Labour responds to Government statement on draft Mental Health Bill

Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health,responding to the Government statement on the draft Mental Health Bill, said:

“Waiting times for mental health treatment are up. The number of people in a mental health crisis attending A&E are up. And there is a disturbing rise in the number of instances of restraint used in inpatient mental health units.

“Crucially, the Government must set out how the reforms will be managed in reality – all of these reforms require an increased staffing commitment.

“Labour has a fully costed plan to recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff in order to treat a million more patients a year by the end of our first term in office.

“For too long the government has had its head in the sand when it comes to mental health. We cannot have the government fail on mental health legislation.”