Mental health care ‘must become more holistic’

Mental health care should take a holistic approach for all patients, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

The charity has welcomed new health guidance as a “step in the right direction”, but warned that progress must continue in making mental health care truly holistic.

While praising the guidance’s recommendations – which include a balanced diet and maintaining physical health – the Mental Health Foundation has called on the government to do more, with mental health issues costing the UK almost ?100 billion per year.

Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, stated: “[The government] must continue to develop this holistic approach and include those with more moderate mental health problems.”

“We know that, not only can these conditions present themselves as physical symptoms, but exercise is an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression,” he added.

Two weeks ago, the mental health charity Mind said that mental health care in the NHS is “severely lacking”, claiming that patients were being denied treatment due to health service cuts.

Policy director Sophie Corlett said: “Under-funding mental health is a false economy – the sooner you can help someone with a mental health problem, the easier and less costly it is to resolve.”

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