Mental health services need more than just increased funding

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Theresa May has regularly pledged to accelerate the NHS long-term funding plan, but it simply isn’t enough (Getty)

Mental health is a cumbersome issue that requires immediate attention from policymakers. There is a shortfall of funding for mental health care services, but this is only part of the problem.

The underutilisation of mental healthcare services is most acutely felt by refugees and asylum seekers who grapple with the hidden costs of massive forced displacements and ongoing armed conflicts.

Refugees are more prone to endure torture, sexual violence, rape, the wanton destruction of their cultural and religious heritages, corruption, sleaze, embezzlement, mismanagement, the traumatic witnessing of death and tragedy in their homelands, in addition to psychosocial deprivation, loneliness, boredom, employment restrictions, stigma, gender-based violence, adverse political atmosphere like the one in Hungry and Austria.

The government must do more to address these crises for vulnerable populations, and help them overcome the barriers that hamper their access of mental health services.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London

After decades of government neglect, one can understand medical professionals highlighting the growing mental health problems of young people as another reason for increased funding.

However, in this instance, their afflictions can largely be attributed to a techno-lifestyle in a competitively-minded society, which could be prevented with a general change of orientation. Prevention always makes more economic and social sense than costly treatment.

Some of the causes of young people’s distress have been identified as “increased pressure to do well at school, body image issues, the influence of social media and difficult family backgrounds”.

We should urge government to address these first in concert with parental responsibility.

Geoff Naylor
Hampshire

Bow to tradition and protocol

You observed in Saturday’s Independent that President Trump did not bow on meeting the Queen at Windsor Castle and Melania Trump did not curtsy – nor should they.

Only the monarch’s subjects are required to show such deference, and on informal encounters, such as walkabouts, most of them do not even do that much.

Terence A Carr
Prestatyn

Little rocket men

While I applaud the technical abilities that can send a rocket into space, the outcome of this success means very little to our world’s undernourished population, people in the many war zones or epidemics of Ebola, measles, Aids, TB and so on.

Altruistic entrepreneurs, like Bill Gates and other far-sighted rich people, are improving the lot of people who cannot help themselves. Putting commercial rockets into space only makes already rich people richer still and boosts already inflated egos.

Let’s put people first.

Keith Pool
Basingstoke

God-winner’s law

The rule is that once you mention the Nazis, you have lost the argument – but there’s an exception to every rule. Looking back we can see why they demonised the Jews throughout the Thirties because the plan was always to kill as many, if not all, the Jews, and the Nazis were simply establishing a climate where this could happen.

So where is the movement headed by Trump but supported by the likes of Farage and some eastern European leaders to demonise Muslims leading? Is it a simply a device to distract voters from serious issues, such as an increasingly unequal and divided societies, or is there a more sinister agenda?

John Simpson
Ross on Wye

A smile Trumps all

Forgive me if this is a very shallow reaction, but I think the visit of Donald Trump has contributed considerably to the gaiety of the nation.

The sight of this heavy loose cannon firmly hand in hand with his impeccably icy wife, irresistibly making one speculate on the thoughts going through her head at any given moment; the sight of the president barging in front of the tiny Queen, blocking her entirely from view and forcing her to try and manoeuvre round him to regain her rightful position at the fore; his pugnacious expression as the ceremonial bands ooompahed their way through their repertoire; Melania as inscrutable and Slavic as ever during the performance; the incredible and unexpected sight of Philip May watching the first lady, apparently relaxed at last, learning how to play bowls while wearing vertiginous high heels; the president trying to flatter Theresa May and row back on his previous insults with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop. And in true British irreverent and witty style, a giant balloon floats over London, making its own bouncy statement.

Truthfully, you couldn’t make any of it up. All credit to those who maintained their sangfroid.

I know there are very disturbing and serious issues at stake here, and I do not underestimate them – but please, in this heat, let’s just have smile at these shenanigans, for a moment or two.

Penny Little
Oxfordshire