BPS highlights the need for long-term view of the UK’s health in recommendations for upcoming Budget
The Autumn budget is a critical opportunity for the UK government to begin to tackle the UK’s health inequalities, says the BPS.
28 October 2024
In its submission, the BPS is calling on the government to commit vital long-term, sustainable funding for the nation's mental, physical and community healthcare services, with a focus on prevention and early intervention.
The BPS is also calling for investment in NHS staff mental health and wellbeing services along with a commitment to growing the mental healthcare workforce within primary care – ensuring at least one practitioner psychologist for every 50,000 people.
In light of the growing crisis within Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, the BPS wants to see the government commit to ensuring every school has access to a named educational psychologist in their local authority, free at the point of delivery.
Other calls in the submission focus on tackling poverty and ensuring support is available for the most vulnerable, including ensuring benefits such as Universal Credit cover essential costs, prioritising preventative measures in the criminal justice system and investment in early intervention services such as Family Hubs and Early Support Hubs.
Dr Roman Raczka, President of the BPS, said:
"Our recommendations for the government are centred around our knowledge that prevention is much more cost-effective than intervention. Prioritising long-term investment in the UK's health will not only address the nation's stark health inequalities but also help ease the growing costs of ill health.
"It's vital that the government invests in prevention and early intervention health, social care and education services and improves the support available for the most vulnerable in our society. Only then will we reduce the financial burden on key public services and give everyone in society a chance to thrive."