Mental Health is a priority for MRC
14 October 2009
A Declaration that calls for a radical increase in investment in mental health research will be presented at no 11 Downing Street this evening. Mental health research is a priority for the Medical Research Council (MRC) as outlined in the 2009-2014 Strategic Plan, Research Changes Lives. The MRC’s objective is to explore the relationship between mental health, wellbeing and resilience to disease processes by supporting the best funding proposals in neuroscience and mental health.
The Research Mental Health Initiative Declaration, led by the King’s College London Institute of Psychiatry and the Mental Health Foundation, calls upon the Government, the National Health Service, funding bodies, research institutions, the pharmaceutical industry and the third sector to commit to making mental health research a joint priority. It has been supported by leading scientists and public figures including Ruby Wax, Stephen Fry and Dame Kelly Holmes.
The Declaration reception will be hosted by Maggie Darling, wife of the Chancellor Alistair Darling. The long-term campaign aim is to put mental health research on the same footing as that of physical illness to ensure that research investment reflects the enormous health, social and economic burden imposed by mental illness.
Wendy Ewart, Director of Strategy for the MRC said:
“Research into mental health is one of the core components of the MRC strategy. The MRC has contributed £18.2 million towards the highest quality science in this area and we will continue to support and develop research for mental health to improve the lives of people who live with mental illness across the UK.”
The Strategic Plan outlines how the MRC intends to continue to support and develop neuroscience and mental health research now and in the future. There will be particular emphasis on linking fundamental understanding of cognitive processes with behaviour and addressing public health goals for prevention.
Mental ill health is a leading cause of suffering, economic loss, social problems and death in the UK. Understanding of mental illness has not improved as fast as that of cancer or heart disease. Research Mental Health says a trebling in mental health research investment is needed, as mental illness causes 15 per cent of the country’s disease burden but receives just five per cent of the total health research spend. Currently, around £74 million a year is spent on researching mental illness. For mental health research investment to match the impact mental illness has on people in terms of premature death and disability, Research Mental Health wants to see this figure reach £200 million a year within the next five years.
Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said:
“Our understanding of mental illness is moving at a snail’s pace. Whilst treatments have improved, we have not yet seen the breakthroughs needed to significantly reduce the economic and social affliction caused by mental illness. Many promising treatments never reach people with a mental illness who desperately need them because of a lack of research and evidence.”
To read more about MRC’s strategic aims in Mental Health download a copy of the MRC strategic plan 2009 - 2014 Research Changes Lives (mental health is covered on p14).
Press contact: 020 7637 6011
press.office@headoffice.mrc.ac.uk
