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Extra Pounds 5m to Raise Standards for Mental Health Services

Posted on: Monday, 10 October 2005, 12:00 CDT

By BRIAN GIBBONS Western Mail

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some point in our lives yet mental health remains a taboo subject, often surrounded by fear and prejudice. Too many people with mental health problems are excluded from parts of life the majority of us take for granted - jobs, family support and community activities.

Today is World Mental Health Day, which aims to help tackle some of these problems by raising people's awareness of the issues.

It reminds us that keeping well mentally is just as important as staying well physically.

The World Health Organisation defines health as, 'the complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease'.

This definition is important because it clearly links the health of the mind with the health of the body.

This year's theme highlights that there is no health without mental health. It encourages an increased awareness and understanding that good physical health and good mental health go hand in hand.

To mark World Mental Health Day in Wales I am launching a revised and strengthened National Service Framework - backed with an extra pounds 5m in annual funding.

The Framework and Action Plan sets out to promote good mental health for all and improve existing services. It sets out to help people with mental health problems tackle some of the issues which add to their suffering, and promotes social inclusion.

But this is not something that government can do alone.

Employers, unions, housing authorities, educationalists, the voluntary sector and many others all have an important role to play in helping promote good mental health for all, ensuring early and effective action is taken when a mental health problem is identified, and delivering better services.

Three Assembly Government-commissioned reports, published today make clear we still have a long way to go to improve and modernise our mental health services in Wales.

The Wales Audit Office tells us that the agencies that are responsible for planning and delivering mental health services need to work together to develop a more comprehensive range of services to meet the diverse and complex needs of service users.

The Wales Collaboration for Mental Health reports a service system under pressure and makes a number of recommendations for improvement, and a further review makes recommendations relating to the mental health hospitals in Wales that provide secure services.

I welcome these reports and know we need to do a lot more to improve our mental health services.

But they do recognise the dedication of the staff working hard to improve the situation.

Over the past year we have begun to strengthen our care planning arrangements for people with mental health problems, and continued to support the Community Advice and Listening Line (CALL) a free and confidential help and advice service which offers emotional support and practical help for people living n Wales.

We have also made significant progress in replacing old and outdated mental health institutions with new fit for purpose units such as the Llanfair Unit I am formally opening today at Llandough.

Our National Service Framework and Action Plan set the standards that must be met to drive up quality and reduce the unacceptable variations in health and social services provision across Wales.

The additional annual funding I am announcing of pounds 5m is a significant boost for mental health services in Wales and will be used to help meet these challenging standards and improve our services.

Working together in partnership is essential if we are to develop modern, efficient mental health services in Wales, and overcome the stigma and discrimination that many with mental health problems have to experience.: Q How long can I keep herbal remedies before they go off? I have some dried herbs that I've had for a while but although they look OK, I'm not sure. I'd also like to try making herbal tincture. How long can I keep them?

A Providing you have stored your herbs in a cool, dry place preferably in the dark and not in a plastic container, they should be all right to use for up to a year. Contact with light can damage any light sensitive components and plastic containers allow volatile oils in the herbs to be lost. . If your herbs are showing signs of any mould growth then throw them away. Home-made tinctures will last at least twice as long as dried herbs because of their alcohol content.

Q My husband has raised cholesterol. We've made changes to our diet and he's a non-smoker anyway, but are there herbs that could help him?

A If your husband's not already eating it, add garlic to his food. Either use as cloves in cooking, or he can take garlic capsules. Garlic has a long reputation for lowering blood fats and for preventing fat build-up in the blood vessels. Lime flowers, which can be bought quite readily as tea bags, will also help in reducing fat deposits. Generally, he needs to make sure his alcohol intake is within recommended limits, he exercises several times a week and loses any excess weight. You don't say what dietary changes you've made but these should include eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, especially beans and oats as the soluble fibre they contain lowers blood fat levels. Reduce saturated fats and replace with vegetable oils, especially olive.

Q I have been diagnosed with fibroids and I want to avoid surgery if at all possible. What can herbal medicine do?

A Fibroids are often painless but can be accompanied by pelvic heaviness and heavy periods. Oestrogen encourages their growth, so they will reduce in size naturally once you reach menopause. Until that time, cut out any outside sources of oestrogen, such as hormonal contraceptives and ensure your diet is as healthy as possible, ideally low-fat and high-fibre. Useful herbs would be Lady's Mantle and Wild Yam to balance hormones, raspberry Leaf and Greater Periwinkle..

If you have a question for Rosemary e-mail madeleine.brindley@wme.co.uk

Source: Western Mail

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