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Family doctors feel they are unable to take on new role in mental health under Health ministers proposed reform .
Doctors have indicated they do not want to take responsbility for mental health servcies, according to the Observer. The recent health white paper published last week proposed plans of a ‘massive shake-up of NHS mental health services’ which includes removing the responsbility of commissioning mental health service budgets from primary care trusts to GPs. Two recent surveys conducted by the mental health charity Rethink and the doctors.net website have found doctors are not in favour of the changes proposed by health secretary Andrew Lansley.
According to the Observer, since the changes have been proposed the mental health chairty Mind, have experienced an increase in the numbers of people contacting the charity, worried about the possible cuts in Incapcity Benefits, closures of drop-in centres and other support servcies. The chief executive on Mind commented “There is always a concern when times are tight that mental health get treated disproportionaltey negaitvely”.