MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND MODERN MEDICINES

Motion Text

That this House affirms its commitment to continue to improve the mental health of the nation; recognises the steps taken to date through publication of the National Service Framework for Mental Health; welcomes the publication of a survey of honourable Members' views on mental health issues carried out by the Pharmaceutical Schizophrenia Initiative; notes that 38 per cent. of honourable Members believe that improving mental health should have a high priority compared with cancer and heart disease, and a further 59 per cent. that it should have the same priority; further notes that 72 per cent. of honourable Members surveyed support the appropriate prescribing of the modern atypical anti-psychotic medicines for schizophrenia; and welcomes the Government's referral of these medicines to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence as an opportunity to end the current postcode lottery which denies equitable patient choice.