THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES
Whilst our first objective will always be to showcase the creative talents of people who experience mental distress to as wide an audience as possible, our next priority continues to be to campaign for more resources for art in health generally and art in mental health specifically. Although in the current economic climate it’s more about trying to protect the pitiful and meagre resources already in place.
Anyway we campaign in several different ways, for example in the run up to the last election we launched an on line petition on the Downing Street website which attracted nearly 700 signatures, with some very high profile and eminent people amongst them, all of whom care as passionately as we do. This petition should have run for six months but once the new government began the on line petition facility was stopped.
Our other main efforts have concentrated on asking questions under the Freedom of Information Act, a selection of which we feature below.
1. How much funding for Art in Health generally, and Art in Mental Health specifically for the years 2009/2010, and 2010/2011 has been allocated by the Department of Health?
In the 2009/2010 financial year, £85,000 was made available for art in health to cover a range of areas. There was no specific allocation to art in mental health.
There has been no funding allocated for art in health or art in mental health for the year 2010/2011.
2. How has this funding been used/allocated, and how will it be used/allocated in the future?
The funding has been allocated as follows:
£9,464 - arts in health research seminar at Tate Modern, January 2010.
£75,000 - has been allocated to the King’s Fund. The Department and the King’s Fund are reviewing the use of these funds to ensure that the priorities of the new Government are taken into account.
3. How much funding has been allocated to the Kings Fund by the Department of Health to take forward the regional seminars scheduled for late 2010 and early 2011?
£75,000 has been allocated to the King’s Fund. The Department and the King’s Fund are reviewing the use of these funds to ensure that the priorities of the new Government are taken into account.
4. What criteria does the Department of Health use to decide which organisations/agencies to consult and work with?
The criteria used in appointing The King’s Fund to this project are as follows:
• The King’s Fund is a key policy partner with whom the Department has had a long established relationship.
• Over a number of years the King’s Fund has delivered the Enhancing the Healing Environment programme, which encompasses mental health, end of life care and dementia care.
• The King’s Fund was a founder contributor the original National Network for Arts in Health and is in a strong position to deliver the project for the benefit of a wide range of participants across the country.
5. Please state the funding allocated to Art in Health generally and Art in Mental Health specifically for years 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and expected expenditure in future years? If no funding is proposed for financial year 2010/2011 please state the reasons for no funding being available.
There has been no centrally allocated funding to Art in Health or Art in Mental Health for the years 2008/2009, 2009/2010.
Lord Howarth raised a debate on Arts in Health in House of Lords in March 2008. Following a subsequent meeting of Lord Howarth with then Secretary of State, Alan Johnson, Louis Appleby and Rob Smith wrote to divisional managers across the Department and obtained £85,000 to support arts and health from internal budgets including mental health, nursing, and estates and facilities.
As in previous years, there have been no centrally allocated funds for 2010/2011
6. Are there any plans to appoint into the position of Lead for Art within the Department of Health, following Professor Louis Appleby’s departure, and if so when?
Professor Rob Smith, Director of Estates and Facilities, was appointed joint Lead for Arts and Health with Professor Appleby. There are no plans currently to replace Professor Appleby as the Department is undergoing major changes to meet the new Government’s agenda, as set out in the White Paper ‘Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS’. Rob Smith will continue in his role until the new system is in place.
We will let you draw your own conclusions. We realise that you have heard all this before and we make no apologies for it. Remember apathy is the biggest threat to our cause, and we must not just sit back as the cuts continue to be made. For no funds to be allocated for art in health centrally at such a crucial time is a poor decision, and delivers the wrong message to service providers up and down the country. You can see by the answers to our questions, how little importance is placed on the value of art in aiding recovery and enhancing the healing environment. We need you all to join our campaign, and you can help by:-
• Lobbying your MP
• Writing to your local service providers
• Providing us with personal testimonies on how the arts have helped you or your clients/patients
• Writing to the Secretary of State for Health – Andrew Lansley and feel free to copy us in.
DO NOT JUST LEAVE THIS TO OTHERS – YOU NEED TO GET INVOLVED.
If you are an arts therapist, Occupational Therapist or an arts co-ordinator you can do your bit too, by writing and making the point what a difference the arts make to those in your care and who you work with, both in hospital and the community.
We strongly urge you to do this, as it really can make a difference. If you do write to your MP please let us know, particularly if you do not receive a response.
We must not allow the arts to be seen as some fluffy add on to services, and an easy target for cut backs. The arts must be included as an integral part of service delivery.
Remember Apathy is our greatest enemy – to do nothing is not an option !!
If you are not sure who your MP is you can go to the House of Commons Website at:-
About half way down the front page on the right hand side you can enter your postcode and it will give you the name and contact details of your MP.
If you are not able to access the internet, your MP’s local Constituency details should be listed in your Phone Book, and or should be available at your local Library.