11 September 2008
Regional Mental Health Leadership Group Launched
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and partners in
the Region, including Making Space, Care Services Improvement
Partnership (CSIP), LSC, Job Centre Plus, and a number of NHS
organisations including pct's and mental health provider trusts and
the TUC have today launched the Regional Mental Health Leadership
Group.
Poor mental health is one of the greatest causes of social
exclusion in the region and you are significantly less likely to be
in employment if you have a mental health condition.
Out of the 410,000 people claiming incapacity benefits in the
Northwest, 40% are recorded as having a mental health problem and
up to 165,000 people are claiming benefits primarily because of a
mental health condition.
The new Leadership Group will look at ways of reducing this and
getting people into or back to work. The group will operate at a
strategic level working with partners and taking responsibility for
three strands of dealing with mental health and worklessness in the
Northwest. The three strands are:
• People with severe and enduring mental health problems e.g.
Bi Polar Disorder
• People with less severe and shorter term mental health
problems e.g. depression
• Workplace Health i.e. reducing the number of people having
to leave employment
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA said: “We have to
deal with the prevalence and causes of poor mental health in our
region, and do this as partners, in a co-ordinated manner. If we
get it right we can help get thousands of people onto the
employment ladder. We also need to act to reduce the number of new
incidents of mental health problems caused by workplace practices,
which threaten to undermine the progress made by existing mental
health employers and the future work of the Leadership
Group.”
John Heritage, Director of Development at Making Space, a leading
third sector mental health provider and the instigator of the group
alongside Steven Broomhead, said: “I’m pleased we were able to
re-launch this vital groups’ work today to ensure mental health and
those it effects in our region remain a key regional priority. The
partners who joined us today, in addition to those who are part of
the group, is an excellent example of bringing together some of the
regions key leaders to bring about real system change in the
Northwest.”
MORE
The Mental Health Leadership Group which will be part of the work
of the Partnership Board, will:
• Be an important and vital part of this integrated,
regional approach to reducing inequalities, increasing well being
and reducing exclusion;
• Provide strategic Regional leadership and promote practical
mechanisms to tackle the issue of mental health and worklessness
across the Northwest;
• Liaise closely with the Regional Skills and Employment Board
in the coordination of regional strategy
• Provide a catalyst to disseminate best practice and
challenge stigma
• Commission research to support the role and vision of
the group where appropriate
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The costs of mental health problems in England are
immense:
• £12.5 billion for care provided by the NHS, local
authorities, privately funded services, family and friends;
• £23.1 billion in lost output in the economy caused by people
being unable to work (paid and unpaid);
In the North West the NHS spends £1.5 billion a year on mental
health services.
Yet the Region ranks in the bottom two SHA areas in the country
for suicide, alcohol consumption and self harm.
Only 20% of mental health sufferers in the North West had jobs,
the second lowest level in England.
For further press information contact, Neil Roscoe, Senior Press
Officer on 01925 400232 or mobile 07980 713282 or neil.roscoe@nwda.co.uk
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the
economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is
responsible for:
• Supporting business growth and encouraging investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and
communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life
For further information about the NWDA and to view previous
press releases visit us at www.nwda.co.uk/press