Almost £8 million has been cut from mental health services in Kent in the past four years.
The figures can be revealed on the same day a Care Quality Commission report shows 42% of people with mental illness are receiving inadequate care.
A Kent Messenger freedom of information request showed Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) — the organisation responsible for providing psychiatric services across the county — has had £7,993,000 sliced from its budget since 2011.
The areas hardest hit were the Community Mental Health Teams.
The CMHT, which help 18 to 65-year-olds who have severe long term psychiatric needs and are not in hospital, had £1,386,000 of funding slashed in the last financial year alone.
In the same 12-month period almost half a million pounds was cut from all services provided in west Kent and in 2011 the trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services underwent a £76,000 reduction in spending.
Additionally just over £6million of government funding has been taken from KMPT since 2011 – money which would have been available to all services…
Full article at Kent online.