NHS: Mental Illness and Obesity
House of Lords
Lord Morris of Manchester (Labour)
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the cost to the National Health Service of treatment for (a) mental illness, and (b) obesity, for each of the past 20 years; and
What is the estimated cost to the National Health Service of (a) poverty-related mental illness, and (b) poverty-related obesity, for each of the past 20 years.
Lord Warner (Minister of State, Department of Health; Labour)
Information is not available in the requested format. Information on the gross expenditure on mental illness elements of the National Health Service Hospital and Community Health Services budget in each of the past 20 years is shown in the table. This information does not include expenditure on people with mental health problems seen solely in primary care. Information on the estimated cost of poverty-related mental illness to the NHS is not held centrally by the Department of Health.
Information on the amount spent by the NHS on treating conditions for which obesity is a contributory factor is not held centrally. However, the National Audit Office report, Tackling Obesity in England, published in 2001, estimated that the direct cost to the NHS of treating obesity and its consequences in 1998 was £480 million. As part of its inquiry into obesity, the Health Select Committee estimated that in 2002 the direct cost to the NHS was between £990 million and £1,225 million.
| Year | Mental Illness Day Patient | Mental Health In-Patient | Mental Health Out-Patient | Community Mental Illness Nursing | Total Mental Health |
| 1983–84 | 60 | 849 | 56 | — | 965 |
| 1984–85 | 66 | 901 | 62 | — | 1,029 |
| 1985–86 | 72 | 937 | 68 | — | 1,077 |
| 1986–87 | 80 | 998 | 71 | — | 1,149 |
| 1987–88 | 89 | 1,146 | 67 | — | 1,302 |
| 1988–89(a) | 107 | 1,262 | 68 | — | 1,436 |
| 1988–89(b) | 107 | 1,262 | 68 | 120 | 1,557 |
| 1989–90 | 112 | 1,321 | 75 | 154 | 1,662 |
| 1990–91 | 129 | 1,386 | 85 | 184 | 1,785 |
| 1991–92 | 158 | 1,689 | 130 | 208 | 2,185 |
| 1992–93 | 190 | 1,757 | 150 | 253 | 2,350 |
| 1993–94 | 206 | 1,699 | 171 | 274 | 2,351 |
| 1994–95 | 218 | 1,644 | 196 | 319 | 2,377 |
| 1995–96 | 247 | 1,672 | 222 | 371 | 2,511 |
| 1996–97 | 289 | 1,722 | 300 | 459 | 2,770 |
| 1997–98 | 303 | 1,754 | 312 | 521 | 2,891 |
| 1998–99 | 318 | 1,819 | 334 | 580 | 3,051 |
| 1999–2000 | 328 | 2,044 | 370 | 670 | 3,411 |
| 2000–01 | 338 | 2,303 | 411 | 775 | 3,826 |
| 2001–02 | 318 | 2,444 | 490 | 810 | 4,062 |
| 2002–03 | 344 | 2,689 | 655 | 911 | 4,598 |
| 2003–04 | 316 | 2,857 | 882 | 1,033 | 5,088 |
Figures from 1987–88 onwards may not be entirely consistent with those for earlier years, owing to the changes in the data collection systems.
Expenditure categories were revised in 1988–89.
Annotations
Michael Crawford
Posted on 9 Apr 2007 5:20 pm (Report this annotation)
The June 2005 issue of the European Journal of Neurology was devoted to the audit of the burden of ill health in the European Union. The audit revealed the surprising but not unexpected result that heart disease which until recently had incurred the highest cost of ill health had been overtaken and was in second place at 17% of the cost.
The cost of brain disorders surpassed heart disease at 25%. The audit placed the cost at 386 billion Euros for the 25 member states at 2004 prices. The deep concern amongst those working in the field of mental ill health and brain disorders is highlighted by Lord Warner's figures illustrating a serious escalation of cost. Escalation of brain disorders will adversely impact on society in many ways. This situation provides compelling evidence on the need for a more full assessment of the total cost of brain disorders including mental ill health in the UK. It is surely proper that priorities in the Health Services and in research as to cause, should reflect this new situation. The rise in mental ill health over the last three decades or so has been prominent amongst young people. Further escalation is likely unless the problem is tackled urgently.
Professor Michael A Crawford.