At risk

Published: 17th March, 2011

• IN your article (Fears suicide attempts by women are being ignored, March 10) clinical psychologist Judy Leibowitz said: “We need to look much more closely at the follow-up when they’ve made a suicide attempt…”

You point out that many of those studied were enduring domestic abuse, bereavement and financial problems.

Women + Health is a Camden-based charity delivering a range of health services to to low-income women of all ages who are at risk.  One of the programmes delivered for over 20 years is long-term counselling.

Referrals to our service mainly come from GPs and psychiatrists, who recognise that many women, particularly those with early trauma or dysfunctional family histories need longer term work for it to be of any value to them. But Camden Commissioners have decided that all current funding should go to short-term work, currently being competitively tendered.  

This puts the long-term counselling programme successfully delivered by Women + Health at risk.

This highlights both the short-sighted approach to cuts, and the critical impact cuts will have on the most disadvantaged of Camden’s community.  Women and their families’ lives are being put at risk because valuable work by charities and small organisations in Camden, which have a meaningful impact on women’s lives, is also threatened. 
Cass Wedd
Chair, Women + Health
Carol Street, NW1