Help Protect Mental Health Services

Brighton and Hove Citizens are petitioning Dr Andrew Hodson, NHS Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group. Sign their letter to help protect Brighton and Hove mental health services. Sign here

Dear Dr Andrew Hodson,

We are a part of Brighton and Hove Citizens an alliance of faith, educational and community organisations across the city working together for local change. Brighton and Hove Citizens is a part of the national organisation Citizens UK.

Since our founding in 2019, we have listened to communities in the city to hear about the issues that are affecting them the most. We identified mental health as a priority to work on.

This is why we were disappointed to see that according to the Health Service Journal Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (this is the body that funds all health services in Brighton) have falsely claimed to spend sufficient funds on mental health services and have not met the targets set under the Mental Health Investment Standard. [1]

We’re writing to ask you to meet with us in September, and discuss how we can ensure mental health services in Brighton and Hove are fully funded in 20/21. We expect to see more than the minimum expected 1% increase spending on mental health.
With the overwhelming pressures that Covid-19 has put on families, the loss of jobs, the loss of loved ones and increased isolation in our city, it’s now more important than ever to properly fund our mental health services.
We’d like to meet with you to discuss this issue, as well as offer our support to continue working towards a city that supports the well-being of our communities struggling with mental health.
As well as expecting the CCG to play its role we also intend to do our bit. Brighton and Hove Citizens member organisations have committed to training 50 mental health champions in our universities, churches and schools.
We look forward to finding a date.

Brighton and Hove Citizens

[1] https://lowdownnhs.info/mental-health/ccgs-caught-short-changing-mental-health-services/