Doing all we can to improve mental health
Last week I had the privilege of speaking at the Annual Mental Health Nurses Forum in Glasgow about the Scottish Government’s vision for mental health services.
We want to make it possible for more people to get the help and support that they need at the right time, so that they can expect recovery and fully enjoy their rights, free from discrimination and stigma.
Some of you will be aware of the commitments that the Scottish Government has made in the Mental Health Strategy and in the 2018 Programme for Government. But, I thought it might be helpful to highlight some of the work already underway.
For children and young people, the Transition Care Plan, to help them move from child and adolescent mental health services to adult mental health services was developed and launched by young service users alongside clinicians. This will help make that process smoother and less stressful.
The Suicide Prevention Action Plan was published in August with a target of further reducing rates of suicide by 20 per cent by 2022.
The Leadership Group that is steering the work recommended is already meeting. The group membership importantly includes people with lived experience of suicide as well as charities, health care professionals and young people.
Lanarkshire is one of the pilot sites for the Distress Brief Intervention Service. This Service provides a next day contact with a trained worker to anyone presenting in distress to A&E, police, ambulance services or primary care.
Working to improve mental health care is not just the preserve of the NHS or social care, but it is also the responsibility of the wider public services.
Poverty is the single biggest driver of poor mental health. This is against the backdrop of continuing UK Government welfare cuts and attempts to take Scotland out of Europe which has brought us further economic uncertainty, but the SNP Government are committed to taking every action possible. This includes protecting people against the worst effects of welfare cuts through our investment of 100 million pounds every year.
The Fairer Scotland Action Plan also sets out how poverty can be tackled, inequality
Poverty is the single biggest driver of poor mental health