The Consultation Response

Over the past few months Mental Hea
literally thousands of British Colu
health care system:

employers and employe

various individuals,

agencies involved.

response at this stage, and

change process which wil

disruption and additiona

hundred written submissi

Several weeks. Despite
would be a genuine and m

I am very gratified by the concern for mental health that the seriousness
of this response indicates, and would like to extend my sincere thanks to
all who have invested their time and effort in the first Stage of the
planning process. The consultation has demonstrated that a large measure
of consensus alreaay exists on both the basic principles underlying our
mental health service planning, and on many specific issues. There are
also a number of important issues on which additional cousultation is
required in order to weigh more carefully the various options available.

The Resource Reallocation Strategy

Before directing you. to the attached Report on this stage of the
consultation process I would like to revi

paraneters within whi

implementation of any

direction that presen

maintained,

efficiencies,

will be able t

"bridge fu the development period.. For
instance, sources from the continuing

mental health system to the communi ty

costs are considerably lower. While

care, funds would become available to

ommunity beds, add rehabilitation programs and

provide mental health care to patients outside institutions and closer to
their homes. This example reflects one of the resource reallocation
options for introducing change and improvement to the mental health
System. Of course, underlying this Strategy is the need to realize maximum
benefit for patient care from the current funds available for the mental
health system. Our planning challenge is intensified because we realize
that we should not anticipate she infusion of substantial new funds into
the system, at least for the foreseeable future.

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