A collective responsibility to act
now on ageing and mental health: A Consensus Statement
24.06.08
With depression affecting three
times as many older people as dementia, the Royal College of
General Practitioners (RCGP) has joined other key organisations to
call for action from the Government in addressing a full range of
'later life' mental health problems.
As formal consultation on the
National Dementia Strategy for England begins, the RCGP has helped
produce a new consensus statement ‘Investing in our Future: Ageing
and Mental Health’, released today. Other key organisations
involved in producing the document include: the Royal College of
Psychiatrists, Age Concern, and the Royal College of Nursing.
These organisations firmly believe
this call should just be the beginning of a comprehensive
commitment to investing in our future. We believe that
dementia cannot and should not be seen in isolation from the rest
of mental illness in older people. We call for mental health issues
in later life to be accorded the highest priority in terms of
sustained vision, leadership and policy ownership and must not fall
through gaps between mental health and older peoples' policies.
Dr Carolyn Chew-Graham, RCGP
Clinical Champion for Mental Health, said: "This document is meant
to raise the profile of mental health issues in older people and
alert health and social care, providers and commissioners as well
as clinicians/professionals about the importance of investing in
this area - which is everyone's responsibility."
ends
Download the Investing in our Future: Ageing and Mental
Health consensus statement at www.olderpeoplesmentalhealth.csip.org.uk/if
Media enquiries should be directed to the RCGP press
office on press@rcgp.org.uk
/ 020 7344 3137
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of over
35,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work
to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical
practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training,
research and clinical standards.