Three quarters of mentally ill patients not catered by NHS, study

Three quarters of mentally ill patients not catered by NHS, studyAccording to a new report, about three quarters of the mentally ill patients in the UK are not getting treatment as the health system has failed to cater to their needs.

The report by researchers at the Mental Health Policy Group at the London School of Economics (LSE), said that under-treatment of people suffering from mental illnesses by the NHS is a serious case of health inequality in the country.

They pointed out that the mental health problems now account for about half of all the ill health in the UK. Even as the illness can be more debilitating than some chronic diseases only about a a forth of those suffering from mental illnesses receive treatment.

The report also found that even as psychological therapies existed they were not available to the people. It is believed that about forth per cent of the patients suffering from anxiety or depression can be cured with the help of cognitive behavioral therapy.

"Despite the existence of cost-effective treatments it (mental illness) receives only 13% of NHS expenditure. The under-treatment of people with crippling mental illness is the most glaring cause of health inequality in our country," the researchers wrote.