Health Secretary pledges to protect mental health services in a recession

 Health Secretary Andy Burnham today (Monday) signed up to mental health charity Rethink's campaign 'for the protection of mental health services during a recession.'
 
Mr Burnham was pictured signing the pledge against the background of Rethink's Cinderella stunt at the Labour Party conference in Brighton.
 
The mental health charity warned that the recession was pushing up demand for mental health services just as resources were being squeezed by public service cuts.
 
Rethink chief executive Paul Jenkins said: 'We are desperately worried that all three political parties have embarked on a macho test of who can make the biggest public sector cuts.
 
'We are delighted that the Health Secretary has bucked the trend and committed himself to the protection of mental health services.'
 
Last week in Bournemouth, Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg signed up to the Rethink campaign.
 
Mr Jenkins added: 'Next week we will be in Manchester urging the Conservatives to pledge their support to protect mental health.
 
'We need all three political parties to recognise that people who use mental health services should not pay the price for the recession.'