SNP freeze on mental health funding criticized by campaigners

Marie Todd, SNP mental wellbeing minister, said the new budget would mean record numbers of staff would provide more services to more people than ever before. Credit: Ken Jack/Getty Images

A freeze in public funding for mental health care in Scotland has come under fire from campaigners following the Scottish National Party's controversial budget.

More than a dozen charities and groups in the Scottish Mental Health Partnership (SMHP) have expressed concern after Holyrood's financial support was £290.2 million, the same as in the previous two years.

A statement agreed by SMHP, whose members include charities including Samaritans and the Scottish Mental Health Association, as well as the British Psychological Society and the Royal College of General Practitioners, said it was “extremely disappointed” that there was no increase in funding.

Lee Knifton, SMHP chairman, said it represents represents a «large reduction in real terms and represents a missed opportunity for mental health.»

“There is no sign that the Scottish Government will meet its own target of increasing mental health spending to 10 per cent of the NHS budget, no increase in the Mental Health Authority budget for the second year in a row, meaning a significant reduction in real terms.” and no new investment in prevention work,» Mr Knifton said.

«We are keen to start working with the government to implement a new strategy, but expected mental health to be a priority for new investment . Instead, we see further cuts to a system that is already overburdened.”

Marie Todd, the SNP mental wellbeing minister, said the Scottish leader was committing £14.2 billion to NHS boards to support services, providing a boost beyond the impact of the UK government's block grant. This means funding for health and social care has more than doubled since 2006-07.

“In a climate of UK government austerity, this includes an increase of almost £550 million (4.3 per cent) for frontline NHS advice — real time rise of almost 3 per cent.

» More than £1.3 billion will go towards supporting mental health services, with direct investment of £290.2 million – this has more than doubled since 2020/21. – enabling a record number of employees to provide more support and services to more people than ever before.”