The National Co-ordinator of Mental Health Policy says that investment in this area in the National Health Service is around 5% today and will double in a few years.
“Our investment in relation to the total ‘budget’ of the National Health Service is roughly 5%, so we estimate without certainty. I believe we should double that at some point in our future,” he told Lusa in an interview.
Miguel Xavier gives the example of countries such as the United Kingdom or the Nordic countries, where investment in mental health is 13% and 14%, illustrating that this value does not arise by chance.
“This is the percentage of the global burden of mental health among all diseases (…) England was already the first country in the world, and others will follow”, Miguel Xavier said.
He recognizes the need to “be realistic and keep our feet on the ground”, adding: “If we are at 4% or 5%, we are talking about three times”.
However, he says it is a positive aspect that mental health is currently considered “a priority at a crossroads for Portuguese society”.
“If we think of doubling our budget in a few years, I think it’s a goal that I believe is not very promising”, he underlined: “It is a goal that the Portuguese deserve. And by the way, professionals [de saúde]Who works there, works a lot”, he underlined.
Jane Austen is a writer and contributor covering culture, literature, lifestyle, and society. Her work focuses on thoughtful storytelling, social trends, and the issues shaping everyday life, delivering engaging and accessible content for readers across the United Kingdom.
