The Guardian view on mental health: the new secretary of state should make it a priority | Editorial
Parity for people with physical and psychological ailments has been promised for years. New neighbourhood clinics are a step in the right direction
AI Summary
The editorial argues that the new health secretary must prioritise mental health, noting that promised parity with physical health remains unfulfilled. It welcomes the new network of community mental health clinics in England as a positive step to ease pressure on A&E departments and reduce waiting times, particularly for children. The piece highlights rising mental health problems among young people as a major factor behind school avoidance and disability benefit claims, and calls for mental health to be more prominent in health department policy, especially ahead of the upcoming Fonagy review.