Why Mental Health Care's Only Hope Is Norman Lamb MP

The Westminster circle of power seems to have awoken to the realisation that our NHS mental health services cannot go on without adequate funding. After all the talk from MPs on equality in funding between physical and mental health, there is still no visible action.
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The Westminster circle of power seems to have awoken to the realisation that our NHS mental health services cannot go on without adequate funding.

After all the talk from MPs on equality in funding between physical and mental health, there is still no visible action.

One MP who has been fighting for years for the cause is Norman Lamb, the grey haired liberal has highlighted the message of these inequalities.

At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in 2008 he spoke of the pressures on waiting times and the lack of funding to mental health in the NHS.

He showed care and compassion for the mentally ill and gave an astounding eye opener of the state of the system.

Has he succeeded? Well many in the Westminster estate would say no and with further cuts to come in 2014 from the coalition in which Norman Lamb plays a pivotal role in health.

The government strategy for mental health challenges stigma and discrimination with a quest to improve services.

The Liberal Democrats would argue that change has happened in mental health with only Mr Lamb and the liberals to thank.

Labour Leader Ed Miliband in a speech in 2012 called the issue of mental health "The biggest unaddressed Health Challenge of our age" and has also been quoted on saying "Mental Health is an economic challenge that is holding back prosperity".

Such statements seem to lack compassion and understanding and are simply sound bites that produce little action on really progressing a better deal for mental health.

Mr Lamb has led this for many years and seems the only hope for mental health in Westminster. Only time will tell if the words of Mr Lamb can actually transfer some of his understanding and compassion into Labour and Tory hearts.

Liberal Democrats may not be the favourite for election 2015, nor should they be.

However Mr Lamb and his liberal leader Clegg get an A* on mental health

Danny Bowman