Mental Health Services
During a debate in the House of Commons on mental health services, Brooks Newmark condemns the government for putting finances before the patient.
Mr. Brooks Newmark (Braintree) (Con): I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing this very important debate. Having lived in south London for 18 years, I know that this is an issue that he and his constituents are passionate about. However, this is not an isolated instance. North Essex mental health care trust has lost £4 million, which has been top-sliced.
Does he share my concern that the problem with the Government is one of reverse engineering: not putting the patient's needs first, but putting finances before the patient?
Simon Hughes: Politicians such as myself, the hon. Gentleman and the Minister are involved but a lot of the people involved in the issue are not politicians, and people said tonight that they had never been involved in party politics before but had been involved in community issues for 50 years. There is no party issue here; it is about how we can come together to take things forward.
