Memorandum by Kent County Council
1. Kent County Council (KCC) welcomes the
opportunity to respond to the Green Paper. It is supportive of
the economic approach being taken to the analysis of the costs
of mental ill-health to the Member States. The emphasis placed
on prosperity, solidarity and social justice sets a framework
within which issues can be understood and actions taken.
2. The economic emphasis is in line with
UK domestic policy in the area of seeking to return people who
have experienced mental illness to meaningful economic activity.
Central Government have set targets in this regard for Local Government
services to achieve. To that end KCC works in partnership with
voluntary sector (non-State) partners to deliver specialist employment
services to steer people towards "mainstream" services
or provide the extra more intensive support that some people require.
3. Considerable effort is being expended
at UK Government level to attempt to get people who have been
mentally ill back into the workforce. There are more people who
have been mentally ill on long-term sickness welfare benefits
than any other category. In the past, the difficulty in making
the transition from these benefits to paid employment has amounted
to what has been termed the "benefit trap". Through
its ground-breaking "Supporting Independence Programme"
KCC has struck an agreement with Central Government which removes
the "benefit trap" by changing the regulations surrounding
the payment of benefits so that no loss of income is experienced
when a person begins to work—often on a part-time basis,
at first.
4. The phrase "there can be no health
without mental health" used in the Green Paper is both striking
and profoundly true. Indeed this could well be the key slogan
for the pan-European campaign(s) that will follow adoption of
the proposed strategy on mental health.
5. Turning to the questions raised in section
8 of the document: The mental health of the population is vital
to the policy objectives around prosperity, solidarity and social
justice outlined in section 1. The creation of a comprehensive
EU strategy will add value to the actions envisaged in section
5. The priorities cited are appropriate as are the actions outlined
in section 7 and 8.
6. KCC wishes to raise again the issues
raised on its behalf at the meeting with Jurgen Scheftlein (European
Commission, Directorate General on Health and Consumer Protection)
who is leading on the Green Paper for the Commission. KCC notes
that the huge issue of older people and dementia is not included
in the Green Paper. This should be explained and clarified. The
reasoning conveyed by Jurgen Scheftlein was clear and understandable
and it should be available to all who take an interest in the
Green Paper and any future actions following from it.
7. The different attitudes and level of
development to "immigrant populations" (usually referred
to in the UK as "ethnic minorities") is acknowledged.
However, it is the case that mental illness exists at a higher
rate among such minorities than it does in the more established
indigenous population. Encouragement should, therefore, be given
to the Member States to consider carefully how to address this
issue, while acknowledging that different States will be at different
stages of development in this area. This is merely to fall into
line with the Human Rights Legislation.
8. It would be useful to acknowledge the
huge amount of resource that is represented by people who care
for people with mental illness and the debt that society owes
them. The Commission should ensure that their presence and influence
is reflected in the outcomes from the Green Paper. The provision
of assessment of Carers' needs and services to help them to continue
to care is a priority in the UK.
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