Suicide prevention services will benefit from an additional £3 million innovation fund, Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt has announced. Speaking ahead of a debate on mental health yesterday, Ms Watt also confirmed that a new suicide prevention plan would be published before the end of the month.
However Conservative Health spokesman Miles Briggs said the government’s mental health strategy is in crisis and is failing too many people.
Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt said: “Our suicide prevention plan will invest an extra £3 million into a new suicide prevention fund to support a Leadership Group to secure innovation and act as a driver for new work to help prevent suicides across Scotland. This is on top of the current spending of over £2 million annually on suicide prevention services.
“As we begin to break down the stigma and better understand how to care for mental health the demand increases and we expect to see detailed plans for taking forward new models of support and services to improve performance, including through partnership with the third sector. We are also working with those who have used services to ensure that as we reshape services we reflect the needs of those seeking support and treatment and align this with medical delivery plans.”
Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, said: ““Despite the strategy and rhetoric from Ministers, the sad fact is that mental health services are still failing too many people across Scotland today.
“Waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services are a particular concern, across the country and here in my own Lothian region.
“Everyone knows that swift, effective support to tackle mental health challenges in childhood is essential to prevent mental ill health worsening and to reduce the risk of it resurfacing in adulthood so these delays are unacceptable and can prove to be devastating for individuals and their families.”
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