Do not ignore mental health in the drive to tackle inequalities, says Sainsbury Centre chief executive

25 February 2004

"Promoting public health should be about much more than preventing death from heart disease and cancer," Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health (SCMH) chief executive Dr Matt Muijen said today.

Responding to the publication by HM Treasury of Securing Good Health for the Whole Population, Matt Muijen said: "The Government has rightly made tackling health inequalities a major public policy imperative. But its focus to date has been predominantly on mortality, not on ill health.

"Last year, mental ill health cost £77.4 billion in care, human suffering and lost work in England alone. People with severe mental health problems are among the most excluded groups from the UK job market. Those with schizophrenia can expect to die 10 years earlier than average because of the poor physical health they commonly experience. And depression is known to be a major risk factor for heart disease.

"There is good evidence that positive and cost-effective action can be taken on all of these fronts. Investment in mental health promotion and in early detection can reduce the burden on individuals and their families. Keeping people in work and education can considerably increase their chances of leading an ordinary life. And ensuring that the physical health needs of people with mental health problems are met can enhance their quality of life dramatically.

"This challenging yet achievable agenda should not be ignored. Without addressing mental health too, some of the biggest inequalities will not be addressed and the Government will find its public health targets hard to achieve. It is in everyone's interests that mental health is not left out in the cold."