Schizophrenia

Press, 13 September 1988, Page 12

Schizophrenia

Sir,—With every respect for Dr Oakley-Browne, his casual use of statistics, like 1:100 for schizophrenia (September 9), bears no real relationship to its actual trauma within society. These same facts disclose that within Christchurch there are 3000 actual sufferers, and if only three relatives or friends are affected by the sufferer, (a conservative estimate) then 9000 people are burdened with schizophrenia, not to mention what must be a triple number of other forms of mental ill-health. I am concerned, like Dr Oakley-Browne and many other members of the community, that health services are displaying no priority in the direction of mental health. “People with these problems do not gain access to health care.” Is this because mental ill-health has no up-market appeal to health authorities, the medical profession, or the general public? No mention was made of the voluntary.. organisations struggling against financial odds to stem the flood coming from the widening gaps in the mental health

system, be they of any category of mental health. Where are the advocates from within the mental health professions that should be visibly pressing for an equal slice of the financial cake? Please, do not keep whispering.—Yours, etc.,

A. S. HELM, Schizophrenia Fellowship. September 9, 1988.