October 2024 • PharmaTimes Magazine • 30-31
// MENTAL HEALTH //
Head ways
Investing in mental health yields positive returns for the UK and Europe
In an era where mental health challenges are becoming increasingly prevalent, the economic and social costs of inadequate mental healthcare are too significant to ignore.
Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety have experienced an alarming rise across the UK and Europe, with 14% and 20% increases respectively.
Meanwhile, data from the recent Headway Report, presented at the European Parliament, shows that the avoidable cost due to mental health conditions across the UK and 27 countries in Europe, amounts to a staggering €122 billion each year, underscoring a critical, yet often overlooked, aspect of public health that demands immediate attention and substantial investment.
Critical condition
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in June 2023, the European Commission published a new comprehensive approach to mental health with an aim to put mental health on par with physical health.
While the original €1.23 billion investment sought to improve access to high-quality healthcare and treatment, and tackle stigma head-on, the actual implementation of these initiatives requires sustained political will and adequate funding.
The Headway Report highlights that in fact, an additional €27.4 billion is required to reduce the long-term direct and indirect costs of mental healthcare across the UK and Europe.
The report demonstrates the optimal Mental Health investment threshold for low- and middle-income countries should be at least 6.5% of the total healthcare budget.
For high-income countries, they should aim to maintain at least 10%. This would result in direct savings to national health systems of €79.4 billion and indirect savings of €43.5 billion.
On average, it would mean that each €1 invested would lead to a return on investment of €4.5, yielding significant improvements in the population’s mental health outcomes, such as lower suicide rates, decreased reliance on emergency and long-term medical services, and improved labour participation.
Challenge of a lifetime
Using 54 key performance indicators, the Headway Report analyses the determinants of mental health, the mental health status of the population and the responsiveness of national health systems to people’s needs relating to healthcare, workplaces, schools and society in general.
‘Several strategic projects have been launched
to improve access to mental health care including the European Commission’s ‘Healthier Together’ initiative’
On average, European countries have improved their health systems’ responsiveness to mental health needs by 7% compared to 2022. Countries with a positive trend include the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Latvia and Luxembourg.
However, most of the EU member states have seen a negative trend in mental health expenditure, with most countries showing a decrease in their readiness to respond to mental health needs in schools, workplaces and wider general society.
The stark variability in mental healthcare quality and accessibility across the UK and Europe is also prominently outlined.
Some countries have made strides in improving their healthcare systems’ responsiveness to mental health needs, but others lag significantly behind, often compounded by a lack of skilled professionals and resources.
Service disruptions during the pandemic led to heightened unmet needs, with over 60% of countries reporting significant impacts on mental health services.
The ongoing permacrisis of underinvestment has only deepened challenges, with many healthcare workers leaving the field due to increased risks, heavy workloads and under-resourcing.
This disparity not only affects the immediate care available but also the long-term outcomes for individuals living with mental health conditions.
Enhancing access
It has not gone unnoticed that several strategic projects have been launched to improve access to mental health care including the European Commission’s ‘Healthier Together’ initiative, the Mental Health Strategy and the EU-PROMENS project, which started earlier this year.
All of these are commendable steps forward, which focus on promoting mental well-being, improving service access and combating mental health stigma, however, more needs to be done to keep access to this support and services sustainable, and also increase the amount of support and level of services that are available.
The Flash Eurobarometer survey conducted in June 2023, indicated that 25% of Europeans faced difficulties accessing mental health care due to prolonged waiting times.
Other barriers include fear of visiting treatment centres, availability of professionals and financial constraints, with 26% citing economic factors as a hindrance. These barriers are compounded by a lack of awareness and persistent stigma associated with seeking mental health care.
The Headway Report also emphasises these barriers for a lack of access and therefore the increased direct investment from the UK and EU countries’ total healthcare budget to mental health care will enable a shift in the direction of community-based mental health services.
It will also enable investment into care staff and resources, training and education, and support with community services such as travel to facilities, all of which is crucial for personalised, accessible and less stigmatising care.
Time of the essence
As we look to the future, the pharmaceutical industry has a pivotal role to play in improving mental health care.
At Angelini Pharma, we strive to enhance the quality of life for those affected by mental health conditions. However, our responsibility extends beyond drug development to advocating for policies that support mental health research, ensuring equitable access to treatments, and promoting a broader understanding of mental and brain health.
The Headway Report serves as more than just statistics; it’s a roadmap for finding solutions to the mental health challenges across Europe.
Investing in mental health is not just about individual well-being; it is a strategic imperative that can lead to substantial economic and societal benefits.
It’s time for countries to seize this momentum: the discussions around the comprehensive approach to mental health provide a solid foundation, but success depends on committed action and increased investment from every country.
The time to act is now. We must prioritise and increase mental health funding to create a healthier future for all citizens across the UK and Europe.
Let’s keep mental health high on the national and European agendas to transform the landscape of mental healthcare, ensuring everyone has the opportunity not just to survive, but to thrive.
Gabriele Ghirlanda is Executive Director, Global Value & Access at Angelini Pharma.
Go to angelinipharma.com
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