Last Word: £100 million to spend on mental health

Alastair Campbell

What would you do with the money? Alastair Campbell, British broadcaster and mental health campaigner, has a few ideas

One hundred million pounds is a significant amount of money in the world of mental health, but the need is even greater. So where would I start?

My first thought is that the money would be well spent on the Maytree Respite Centre (maytree.org.uk), a charity of which I am patron. It is a sanctuary for the suicidal, the only one of its kind in the country, in North London, where people at risk of suicide can get respite and support. It has without doubt saved lives, and there ought to be such places in every part of the country. Though given property prices in some parts of Britain, even £100 million would not get us far.

Perhaps the better approach is to break this down into four areas and suggest a programme of work across each: education and prevention; innovative intervention and young people; reducing inequalities; and research.

 
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