Scotland is facing a mental health crisis if support services aren’t given more help by the Scottish Government. That was the message from Brian Whittle MSP to the First Minister at Holyrood this week.
During First Minister’s questions, South Scotland MSP Brian highlighted recent statistics showing a rise in the number of police call-outs to people in mental distress during lockdown and worrying indications that more young people were struggling with their mental health and facing a longer wait for help.
Brian, who is the Scottish Conservatives’ Shadow Minister for Public Health, Mental Health, Sport & Wellbeing said the stats made the argument for better long term funding for the many charities providing mental health support.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been very focussed on the physical effects of COVID-19 and lockdown, but there’s been a big effect on people’s mental health too.
Far too many people, especially young people, are having to wait too long to access NHS mental health services. Added to that, many of the charities and third sector groups who can offer support struggle with a lack of long term funding that would give them the confidence to expand and recruit extra staff.
The Scottish Government have spent years pledging to transform mental health services in Scotland and they haven’t delivered.
These figures should be a wake-up call for the Scottish Government. We need to give the organisations that help us take care of our mental health the resources they need to do their job as well as they can.”
