10 October marked World Mental Health Day. The theme for this year is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’. Its choice reflects the fact that 2020 highlighted inequalities globally, including for people living with mental health conditions.
In fact, access to mental health services remains unequal, with between 75% and 95% of people with mental health concerns in low and middle income countries unable to access mental health services at all.
Whilst such statistics are very sobering, and make us appreciate how fortunate we are in this nation, it remains the case that access to mental health support in Wales has huge room for improvement.
During a debate in the Senedd last week I spoke of my serious concerns about the Conwy Community Mental Health Team, lack of social workers, and shortage of care coordinators. So bad is the situation that individuals who desperately need support do not have care and treatment plans in place.
We should have annual reports which provide an honest picture as to the severity of the situation on the ground, and help the Welsh Parliament understand what actions are needed to support mental health professionals assist our communities.
I am determined to see a clear mental health workforce plan, and want a short term crisis strategy put in place to ensure that individuals are not left without assistance. During my speech in the Senedd I called for the strategy to include a trained mental health professional in every GP surgery across Aberconwy.
As RCGP Cymru Wales has rightly concluded, such a local provision would ensure that patients are provided with access to a balanced mental health discussion which would allow for a review into what support they wanted and what assistance is available. Indeed, it cannot be right that whilst there has been an increase of 115,660 in antidepressant prescriptions, the number of people referred for talking therapies has fallen by a third to 25,520!
The mental health crisis is affecting all generations. Barnardo’s UK-wide Quarterly Practitioner Survey proves this because 95% of 275 respondents said that there has been an increase in the number of children and young people experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues.
It is imperative that Welsh Government provides sufficient focus on mental health services for children and young people as we seek to recover from Covid-19 because the truth of the matter is that the number admitted to hospitals in 2020-21 is at its highest rate since 2007/08, rising 39% from 916 to 1,274. In fact, since 2007/08, the total number of children and young people admitted to hospital for self-harming stands at 14,651, and 40% of those were admitted between 2016 and 2021.
During the pandemic we have proven that we are a caring community, and I can assure you that I am using the levers at my disposal to help ensure that we have public services which provide timely support. As we approach winter there is a risk that the mental wellbeing of some will worsen. Please do not suffer in silence. You can access support by calling your GP practice, Mind (0300 123 3393), or me (01492 871198).
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