THE MINISTER
Clare Haughey, Scotland’s Mental Health Minister, responded to The Sunday Post investigation by insisting the Scottish Government had increased support.
The Sunday Post article set out some of the challenges facing mental health services. I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the families featured who have lost loved ones and thank them for sharing their experiences. I always pay very close attention to the views of families, experts, stakeholders and staff, and can reassure them we are taking meaningful action to deliver a renewed set of mental health services that are stronger and better than before the start of the pandemic.
We have laid out how we will achieve this in our Transition and Recovery Plan, which we published on October 8. This outlines the Scottish Government’s response to the mental health effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and is comprehensive, containing over 100 actions.
We have worked on the plan collaboratively, including with many of the organisations quoted in the Sunday Post, and the priorities reflect what we have heard. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has welcomed our Transition and Recovery Plan, saying it contains a “positive vision for addressing the needs of those with mental ill health”.
We have invested heavily in CAMHS staffing in recent years, including £4m provided from last year to recruit an additional 80 mental health professionals to work with children and young people. CAMHS staffing is up by 78% under this Government.