AS we continue to contend with the aftermath of a global pandemic, we are faced with a new challenge that has put our most vulnerable in society on the brink. The cost-of-living crisis is forcing more people into poverty which will have severe effects on our mental health. As we get ready for what is expected to be a very cold winter – this is not the time to abandon our most vulnerable.
According to a recent survey from the Mental Health Foundation, 70 per cent of adults in Northern Ireland say they have experienced at least one mental health problem in the last 12 months.
Diagnosable mental health problems cost the Northern Irish economy approximately £3.4 billion, equivalent to about 12 per cent of Northern Ireland’s national income. Also the Mental Health Strategy highlighted we spend over 27 per cent per person less than in England, and 20 per cent less than Ireland, yet has 25 per cent greater prevalence of mental health. This generational under-funding has to be addressed.
The absence of an NI Executive and ongoing uncertainty around the future of significant European related funding has prevented organisations like Action Mental Health from delivering sustainable service provision. Like many of our partners, we have operated in a state of flux, unsure of how long certain services can and will continue and what they will look like.
The European Social Fund (ESF) has been a mainstay of funding support for some of the most vulnerable in our society for more than two decades. In 2016 when the UK voted to leave the EU, it was clear that funding streams such as ESF would need to be replaced. It’s hard to believe that in the six years since, we are no further on. It is clear that this ‘priority’ has been neglected, to the point where we face a funding cliff edge when the current round of ESF runs out at the end of March 2023.
A vital source of funding to the community and voluntary sector across the region, ESF currently supports 69 programmes across disability, employment, NEETS, and community family support projects in NI. It has helped over 76,000 people since 2018 with over 11,000 participants moving into employment and another 11,000 into further education and training.
Thanks to the ESF programme, Action Mental Health is specifically able to support around 1500 clients annually through our AMH New Horizons service. Our skilled staff can support people with severe mental health issues to transition back into the community, gain employment and improve their wellbeing.
These vital services provide direct referral routes for statutory sector partners, especially the five Health and Social Care Trusts, which we know are already overwhelmed and will be unable to meet the additional demand, should these services close. Research shows that this particular service from AMH addresses over £70m of mental health issues every year in NI which is now at risk of being lost.
As an organisation, we have engaged with decision makers and partner service providers to highlight our concerns in an effort to find a suitable solution that allows for these services to continue. Our number one priority is that of our clients who we support and our staff, whose expertise and experience allow them to provide this support.
Time is running out. Come March 2023, funding will be lost, and services may be cut, staff may lose their jobs and some smaller organisations may have to close their doors. We are urging political leaders to step up and save these vital services. It could be a matter of life and death for the most vulnerable.
:: David Babington is CEO of Action Mental Health
