A survey by the mental health charity Mind shows that 64% of people in Britain had to pay for some form of care or treatment for a diagnosed mental problem, including for prescribed and non-prescribed drugs.
The report, which is published in conjunction with Health Which? magazine, is the result of a survey of everyone in two Mind networks: MindLink and Diverse Minds. The survey was sent out in January this year and focused on the economic impact of mental diseases. A total of 455 respondents took part in the survey.
According to Mind 45% of respondents had to pay for treatments that their doctor ordered, including drugs, counselling, and therapy. The average monthly amount that mentally ill patients spent ranged from £6 ($10; €8) to £100, with an overall average of £37. Mind says that this sum is a lot, considering that only 21% of people with a mental illness are employed.
The report also shows that 51% of the respondents had paid for treatments that their doctor did not prescribe. These patients spent an average £68 a month, but 18% of them spent £100 or more. This spending was on complementary treatments, counselling, therapy, exercise, and education.
Mind recommends that patients with mental health problems who need long term treatment should be exempt from prescription charges. Also, prescribed non-drug treatments, such as counselling, should be free to patients.
Mind says that more research is needed on complementary treatments and that GPs and other primary care staff should have appropriate training in mental health. Mind also suggests that GPs adopt its prescribing protocol, giving patients the opportunity to decide on treatment.
Another report published this week also concerns the economic impact of mental illness. The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health reports that £12.5bn is spent by the NHS, local authorities, privately funded services, and family and friends on mental illness. It says that further costs are £23.1bn in lost output caused by people being unable to work and £41.8bn in the human costs of reduced quality of life and loss of life. These results are twice as high as previous estimates.
Mind's report, The Hidden Costs of Mental Health , is accessible at its website (www.mind.org.uk), and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health's policy paper, The Economic and Social Costs of Mental Illness , price £5, can be ordered from tel 020 7827 8352.
