RISHI SUNAK is approaching the mental health crisis in “totally the wrong way” and his welfare reforms risk making things far worse, a leading expert has claimed.
The Prime Minister last week announced a package of welfare reform measures to tackle the unprecedented rise in economic inactivity.
Mr Sunak also pledged to ensure the benefits system is better targeted at those who need it most.
The PM stressed he wasn’t downplaying the challenges people with mental ill health and anxiety disorders were suffering.
But his changes have led to concerns that some of the country’s most vulnerable people will now suffer.
Author and Mental health advocate Lynn Crilly, who wrote Hope With Depression and several other self help mental health books after her daughter, Samantha, developed an eating disorder and OCD, urged Mr Sunak to think again. And she encouraged him to get out in the real world to see for himself the suffering many were having to endure.
Ms Crilly said: “‘Whilst I can see what Rishi Sunak is trying to achieve, I totally disagree with the way he is going about it. He is looking for a quick
fix in a broken system by sticking a plaster on it all, with little thought as to the potential damage and stress it will cause to those that genuinely need help.
‘Mental ill health is often invisible, and many hide behind masks for fear of judgment and stigmatisation. I worry Mr Sunak’s plans will only exacerbate this and leave many feeling more isolated and misunderstood than ever.
Outlining where some of the biggest problems currently exist, she continued: “Doctors and care appointments for many are hard to access without the added pressure that these new government plans will bring. Many people are.
Already feeling stressed with little or no hope, these new guidelines will only fuel the fire not put it out. Sadly the suicide rates are at a all time high, Under these guidelines, I fear they are only going to get worse. If Rishi Sunak has any hope of making any kind of change, then he needs to go back to basics, and get in the real world with the real people
This will help him learn the right and wrong way to even start to rebuild this broken system.”
Suffering from a physical and or mental health condition is unique to that person and their treatment, care and support should be given the same level or respect. This will help them to start to have the courage to make positive steps to change their future for the better.’
