Our Voices Have Been Heard!

I previously wrote a post about ‘Rethink Campaign’ and how I participated with many others by writing a letter to Monitor (the watchdog for health funding) to try and stop it’s plan to cut funds for mental health. I received a thank you letter from Lara Carmona, and today received another letter which states this:

Dear Lauren,

Thank you once again for taking part in our Monitor this! campaign. We have great news!

Your action has helped bring Monitor to the table! You were one of 6,700 amazing people who e-mailed Monitor about funding plans, and they were blown away by your response to their consultation. They have now asked to meet with us next Monday to specifically discuss what you shared. We will repeat again what you have already said: our mental health services have been unfairly underfunded for years and it is time to turn that around. Of course we’ll keep you updated about their final decision – we’re expecting that to be published in the next few weeks – and in the meantime we’ll keep up the pressure up on your behalf.

On that note, our next wave of campaigning will soon kick off, to make sure those in charge of mental health spending make the right decisions and increase funding. Again, success depends on even more people taking action, so I hope you’ll take part and spread the word. I’ll be in touch soon to let you know how you can get involved.

Meanwhile, well done on being part of an unprecedented success so far!

With many thanks,

Lara Carmona
Associate Director – Campaigns & Policy

This is such good news, and I am happy our voices have finally been heard. I am so passionate about this topic because I have been in the situation where I have needed help, and without funding for mental health services, I wouldn’t have had that help and I wouldn’t be where I am today. There are so many people out there that are suffering with a mental illness, and they are just not getting that help. Either they are too afraid to ask for it, or they have gone out and tried to get help but have been ignored. It breaks my heart as I wish I could help others like myself and let them know that they are not alone. If we all come together and raise our opinions then one day we will be taken seriously and funding for mental health will not be taken as a joke, and people will get the help they need.