Cost-cutting or increasing NHS efficiency? The mental health options debate
10/11
PLANNED changes to mental health care have led to complex arguments, lengthy paperwork and strong emotions – yet everybody involved agrees on one key point.
Patients, doctors, campaigners and health chiefs all want to find the best way to look after some of Derbyshire's most vulnerable people.
That is the view taken by all those who are debating how to treat people with anxiety, depression and personality disorders.
On one side of the argument are the NHS managers.
They say they want to give people across the county equal access to the specialist therapies because these are currently only available in the south of Derbyshire.
And they say they want to make sure that the therapies they provide are those which are best proven to work.
That is why they are considering reducing the number of people having pyschodynamic psychotherapy, which is currently offered to about 250 people.
These patients sit one-to-one or in a group with a therapist and gain a better understanding of themselves, often by linking their present experiences with their childhood.
Now the NHS wants to offer more patients two types of therapy which both focus on changing the way people behave in the present, rather than delving into their past.
These are cognitive behaviour therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy.
While the NHS admits the changes are likely to save the health service cash, they say this is not their reason for taking action.
But campaigners against the plans believe the aim of the review is simply to cut costs.
And a leading psychiatrist, along with patients, fears people will no longer get the best form of help.
On these pages, those involved in the debate give their views.
A public consultation into the plans will finish at the end of October and details are available online at www. derbyshirecounty.nhs.uk/services_we_buy/service -developments-consultations
Source: Derbyshire Evening Telegraph, Thursday, October 20, 2011