Lack of Resources Leaves Mentally Ill Prisoners Vulnerable in UK - Charity

Rethink Mental Illness, a leading UK mental health charity stated that thousands of people with mental health problems are ending up in police cells each year because they can't get the support they need.

EDINBURGH (Sputnik), Mark Hirst – Lack of resources and police training to help officers deal with people with mental health conditions in custody has been branded as "shameful" by Rethink Mental Illness, a leading UK mental health charity.

"It's shameful that thousands of people with mental health problems, including children, are ending up in police cells each year because they can't get the support they need," Brian Semple, a senior spokesman for the charity told Sputnik Monday.

Semple stressed that the issue arose due to historical lack of funding for mental health services in the United Kingdom and budget cut in real-terms each year for the past three years.

"Mental illness accounts for 23% of the total impact of ill health in the UK, but gets only 13% of the NHS budget. As a result, the mental health system is desperately overstretched and too often people can't get the right support," Semple added.

Full story: http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150317/1019587025.html

-- SPUTNIK 2015-03-17

Well if the UK stopped sending funds all around the world with charities and took care of their own this would not happen, that's the trouble with the UK to concerned about other countries before its own, I was taught that charity begins at home, and take care of your own country before others,

^^^ So very true.

Ethiopia never had a fleet of F16s before we started sending money.

Well if the UK stopped sending funds all around the world with charities and took care of their own this would not happen, that's the trouble with the UK to concerned about other countries before its own, I was taught that charity begins at home, and take care of your own country before others,

Well said cookee,,,We have the same idiotic government wasting taxpayers money on other countries and refugees,,,,,Like you said look after your own country/people first

Well if the UK stopped sending funds all around the world with charities and took care of their own this would not happen, that's the trouble with the UK to concerned about other countries before its own, I was taught that charity begins at home, and take care of your own country before others,

Its talking about the NHS budget being disproportionately allocated where mental health is concerned, not foreign aid or anything to do with handouts which is a whole different topic.

Mental health problems are growing partly due to new diagnosis and that its almost fashionable to claim one mental health issue. ADHD, ADD, Depression, temper or anger issues, anxiety, phobias etc etc id expect prisoners to have at least two of those issues due to where they are regardless. Everyones a victim these days apparently.