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Martin Salter's Disastrous Mental Health Policy
25 October 2008
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Martin Salter's Lib Dem opponant in Reading West, Patrick Murray, launched a stinging rebuke to the Labour MP after his recent comments on mental health.
Patrick Murray, who suffered from depression for several years in the late 90s and experienced first hand the results of New Labour's disastrous mental health policy stated:
"The Labour Government has had ten years to change mental health provision in this country. Mental health is still a cinderalla service in New Labour's Britain. In some parts of the country the wait for counselling on the NHS is measured in years rather than weeks. Drugs have been poorly regulated. Funding has been much lower than comparable physical health services. It's no good for Salter and New Labour to suddenly discover this problem. I've lost a close friend to suicide and seen many people abandoned by the system. For some of us it's not just about a photocall- it's been our real life experience and we've repeatedly been let down by Labour."
"The Labour Government's only response for almost a decade was to attempt to introduce a new Mental Health Act. This was an horrific piece of legislation which would have deterred people from seeking treatment and criminalised those who were suffering. The obsession they have with Daily Mail approved legislation left many people alone and without desperately needed help."
"We need mandatory training for GPs, often the first port of call for many people, more effective drug regulation as seen by the scandals over SSRIs- a drug I was placed on for a time that was later shown to increase suicidal tendencies, anxiety and depression amongst younger patients- and a huge increase in the availability of counselling. I've been incredibly lucky to make it through but many others aren't. Warm words are not enough- we need action."
Editor's Note:
Patrick Murray recently gave a speech to the Lib Dem conference on his experiences during a debate on Mental Health provision. This can be viewed here:
YouTube video
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