Charity: Yes, the NHS is Letting People Down – But the Third Sector Can Play a Vital Role
As the Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on 25th September 2024 that “the NHS is letting people down”, one charity has spoken of how “a systemic change” is “desperately needed”, and how the third sector can provide vital support for the millions of children who face mental health challenges and their families.
Suzanne Alderson, Founder of Parenting Mental Health, which provides support and skills for parents who have children with mental health issues, says there are changes the charity would like to see on behalf of their network of over 44,000 families – particularly around supporting children with mental health issues – an area which is often overlooked.
The NHS has been struggling for years, and it’s letting families with children who have poor mental health down hugely. In the UK, 18% of all children will experience poor mental health; that’s around 2.5 million children.
Suzanne said: “We carried out research, surveying more than 600 parents who have a child with poor mental health, and found that 72% of them thought communication and collaboration between the stakeholders involved in their child’s mental health care was ineffective. Our research also shows that an unacceptable 98% of parents have experienced long waiting times when trying to access mental health services for their child. As we know all too well from the parents we support every day, urgent action is required and long overdue.
“Labour has previously pledged to reform children’s mental health, which is encouraging, but it follows decades of successive governments paying lip service to the issue and impacts, and then failing to enact the systemic change that is so desperately needed. Societal issues are at the heart of so many mental health battles and true change can only occur when the whole family is supported and every branch of the community – and indeed government – unites behind a common cause and strategy. Services are stretched and fragmented, and the NHS alone cannot be expected to ease the mental health crisis, even if a magic pot of money is unearthed.
“If we’re to support children’s mental health and their families, we need to address the ‘how’ and move away from broad goals and political point scoring and towards practical understanding of the challenges, what will help, and how we can best make progress. Five years in government is not nearly enough time to meaningfully tackle the many mental health issues facing children and families, but with the right communication, collaboration and leadership, we can start to see, and believe in, change.
“While governments and ministers come and go, charities remain. The third sector is the backbone of communities and inclusive support across the UK, and grassroots charities in particular are uniquely connected to people and their daily realities. We are immersed in the challenges those using our services face and we help them to navigate often complex situations without a fixed-term mandate looming over us.
“If the new government is serious about creating a ‘society of service’ and bringing humanity, humility and honesty back to politics, I urge them to listen to grassroots charities and make them a part of the plan for change. Understanding what sustainable impact looks like now in a post-covid, hybrid world; realigning metrics and conditions for funding to smaller charities; and engaging with organisations that are already doing the work will speed up progress, increase impact, and leave a legacy beyond the next five years.
“Charities are a bridge to hope. We represent all of society, and we are privileged to be able to understand the hardships communities face. The stark reality is that many families are living lives of quiet desperation, with increasing financial and emotional pressure, and less support and connection. We need a compassionate, effective government to listen to and understand these experiences and unite us, rather than allowing continued polarisation which removes any room for nuance and fuels divide.
“I urge the new government to affirm and support the role that the family and community plays in a healthy society and the role grassroots charities play in delivering support for the challenges we face. Ministers and MPs can play their part by leading by example and being true role models, demonstrating honesty, a sense of fair play, wellbeing and respect from the top. With the right economic policies in place and a bold commitment to practical, measurable change, rather than headlines or rhetoric, we can build a society where individuals feel empowered to take charge of their wellbeing and communities can become places of belonging, understanding and positive change again.”