Anger over mental health cash move

A HEALTH minister was yesterday accused of 'wickedness' over the timing of an announcement of extra money for the severely mentally ill, writes Rosie Waterhouse.

On Wednesday, when an inquiry revealed the Government's Community Care policy was 'dangerously fragmented', John Bowis, Parliamentary Secretary at the Department of Health, announced that pounds 4.4m would be made available immediately to expand medium secure psychiatric units.

But mental health campaigners said the money had already been budgeted for and claimed the funding was being brought forward by two years to take the sting out of a damning report by the Mental Health Foundation.

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