The battle on the front line of mental health service funding
I am often asked from where my interest in mental health stems, and partly it is born out of personal experience. I had postnatal depression and, although not severe in comparison to others, it was enough to make me aware.

And when I trained as a counsellor for Relate in the mid-1990s, I worked with clients in the military for whom mental health issues were seldom discussed, not even with their GPs, such was the fear they would be medically downgraded or reported to their Chain of Command. This in turn, it was suspected, would lead to discrimination; possibly blocked promotion.
It wasn’t much easier for their partners either. Wives living perhaps in Germany or Cyprus, a long way from families in the U.K., often very young, very lonely and very frightened; as their men deployed to war zones with no certainty that they would return home well; or indeed, return home at all. PTSD is now well recognised, but 20 years ago it was not. In that respect at least, awareness of mental health issues has improved beyond measure.
But while recognising and openly discussing our mental health is one thing, funding treatment is clearly another. We all know the statistics: at least one in six of us will suffer a mental illness at some point in our lives; suicide is the biggest killer of young men under the age of 35 in the UK today; over 650,000 young and old suffer from dementia in this country, 18,000 in Norfolk alone. And so it goes on. If awareness is at last improving, funding, very sadly, is not.
While still involved in some relationship counselling, I also work with the Sue Lambert Trust in Norwich. SLT provides counselling and support for individuals who have suffered rape or sexual abuse in their childhood or beyond. Tellingly, we have a waiting list of over two years. Only this week I learnt that a vulnerable client of mine was losing both her care support workers with five days’ notice. No funds.
Another, desperate for help in battling her severe eating disorder was fast-tracked for assessment by her wonderful GP, only to be told ‘she wasn’t yet thin enough.’ The cessation of grass-roots charities through lack of funds (Sweet Arts in Norwich, Fakenham’s Wensum Group) is tragically shortsighted; only serving to increase isolation and despair, while placing existent services under unprecedented pressure.
I wish I had an answer, or at least a very large money tree. Sadly, I have neither. All I can do is to ask readers to bring this desperately sad and ultimately untenable situation to the attention of our leaders at every opportunity. Sometimes even to live requires an act of enormous courage. Or, in the words of C.S. Lewis ‘Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain. But it is more common and also harder to bear.’ The Church has largely got it. Our local and national politicians of every persuasion need to get it too.
This article is from...
Articles in this issue...

Rest – Enjoy – Pray
As I write this I have recently returned from a General Synod meeting in York. We go to York each year in early July, meeting and staying on York University campus; it is a delightful setting and usually the atmosphere is noticeably more relaxed and friendly than when we meet in the business-like atmosphere of Church House in London.
More
Championing Mental Health at Norwich Cathedral
Andy Bryant explores the way the Cathedral is helping those struggling with their mental health.
More
Mental health first aid
As a volunteer with North Breckland Youth for Christ I work with a variety of young people in school lunch clubs, youth cafés and other events. Over the years I’ve seen young people struggling with their emotions and mental wellbeing for reasons such as bullying, bereavement, and family breakdown.
More
I would stop at nothing to end everything
Ten per cent of children and young people (ages 5-16 years) have a clinically diagnosable mental problem yet 70 per cent of children and adolescents who experience mental health problems have not had appropriate interventions at a sufficiently early age*. Norfolk teenager Hannah Green share her story of how her faith has helped.
More
Wellbeing in church schools
Working in our church schools is a real privilege. It is so rewarding to see children develop, acquire new skills and interests and make great progress during their formative years.
More
Priest in the night
Dialling 999 here gets you in touch with our police, ambulance or fire services. There is a very different approach in Sweden. Phone their national emergency number 112 at night-time and you are also given the option to speak to a priest on duty from the Church of Sweden. Canon pastor of the cathedral of Stockholm, Ulf Lindgren, has spent many nights on the helpline.
More
Churches can provide mental health friendly communities
Emilie Ruddick, mental health professional in North Norfolk explains how churches are stepping up to support their local communities.
More
Recovering friendly church – join the conversation
The Revd Patrick Jordan extends an invitation to join a new network in the diocese discovering how we can practically approach the issue of mental health illness and wellbeing in our local communities.
More
Hearing Voices – sharing experiences of struggles with mental health
Hearing Voices is a forum organised between Norwich cathedral with the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust and the Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust where people can come and share their struggles with mental health.
More
After the fire came a gentle whisper
Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, forgive our foolish ways; these words open a hymn that begins softly but builds to the tremendous crescendo of the final verse where we confront earthquake, wind and fire only to find God in the still small voice of calm.
More