Mental health patients 'pay high price'

Monday, 2 June 2003 12:00 AM

The mental health charity 'Mind' has warned of the hidden costs of mental health problems to patients.

The organisation has released a report entitled 'The Hidden Costs of Mental Health' in which a survey of more than 400 people found that prescriptions for drugs can cost mental health patients heavily.

The report has found that nearly half of patients pay an average of £40 per week on prescribed drugs and treatments, while over half pay an average £61 per month for un-prescribed treatments.

Some patients felt that they had missed out on treatments that would help them to deal with their problems. Many said they then paid for it themselves while others felt they could not afford to.

Many mental health patients do not pay prescription charges, but this is based on means testing for the ability to pay, rather than the necessity of the treatment that they receive.

Mind is campaigning for charges to be removed from prescribed treatment for mental health patients with chronic conditions, to bring them into line with other ailments such as diabetes.

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