Independent journalist Sharon Alcock put your questions to Health Secretary Andrew Lansley on Monday, March 7. The webchat was hosted by the British Medical Association.
Watch the webchat as it happened here:
Live Q&A session with Andrew Lansley
In Conversations, News
Please can you justify why you have reduced the items that a person suffering with Coeliac disease can now get on perscription. This is not a life style choice this is a chronic condition. If I was obese, chose to smoke or drink to muck alcohol I would be a top priority Please explain your reasons. If your not the person to ask then please advise who.
Joan, thanks for your question. This is quite specific, so please speak to our Customer Service Centre, who should be able to provide you with an answer. Their details are here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/ContactUs/DH_066319 Tim
From: Anthony Fisher
Sent: 18 May 2011 09:23
To: ‘lansleya@parliament.uk’
Subject: Mentally Ill Services/Care/Support
Andrew,
Over the past years mental health services/care and support has suffered incredibly from budget reductions. This has had the result that all over the country people with mental health problems are being left to suffer on their own. Day centres are now closed, Community Psychiatric Nurses/ Social Workers are taken away because of reduced services etc, leaving the unfortunate mentally ill isolated, lonely, and with nowhere to turn, and suffering.
In all parts of the country mentally ill people who should be receiving help are seen by the public shuffling about the High Streets and Café’s. They have been totally abandoned by this Government and previous Governments, as they are seen as the “Cinderella Service” meaning that money should only be “sparingly” put into mental health provision, as this group of vulnerable people haven’t the strength to complain, which suits Governments.
You Andrew, have issued a document “No Health Without Mental Health”, fine words, the reality though is that all across the country services/care and support for mentally ill people is disappearing totally, leaving the mentally ill far worse off than they’ve ever been for years. Community Care has never been properly funded, therefore the building resources are not available, and if they are are now being closed so even less for the sick.
Mental health provision in all parts of the country needs totally overhauling. The “Cut’s” mustn’t be “just hit the mentally ill for as much as we dare”, because that is the reality for the numerous patients.
When will a statement be made by this Government to look into properly funding the Mental Health services. Over the next 4 years because of the “Cut’s” there will be an explosion of people desperately trying to obtain “Mental Health” help, if no improvement now has been forthcoming, there will be disastrous results, suicides will rise dramatically, public opinion will be critical of the resources provided, and there will be serious unrest.
Can positive action be taken now to start improving this serious problem, that is if you actually care!
Tony Fisher (Camden User Involvement User Service)
(Camden Public FT Governor)
(Camden LINk)
Hi Can you please tell me if there is a policy within the DOH for a blood collection system between GP surgery’s to the laboratory for testing? I have tried looking this up but it doesn’t seem to give me the information in need. It is for an assignment I am doing and not sure if this is a trick question or not!!
Thank you
J Carney