Young people will lead an in-depth, 15-month study into child and adolescent mental health services to recommend improvements to Ministers. Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt has announced £95,000 to establish the Youth Commission on Mental Health Services – a partnership between the Scottish Government, Young Scot and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). Continue reading Young people to take the lead in mental health study
An app developer has won the prestigious £30,000 Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs, run in conjunction with Leonard Cheshire Disability, after creating a video diary app that supports people managing their mental health. Continue reading Mental Health app wins national Stelios Award
Play spotlights the integration of health and social care
Student nurses are to perform a play about one woman’s experience of falling through cracks in care to highlight the importance of health and social care integration. Mad, Bad, Invisible tells the story of Anne, a young woman living through a mental health crisis, as she tries – and fails – to get the help she needs from a range of services. Continue reading Mad, Bad, Invisible: “a story that desperately needs to be told”
Redhall Walled Garden winter open day
Saturday 16th December 12 – 3pm
More on SAMH Redhall Walled Garden …
New figures show Scotland has highest rates of compulsory mental health treatment in 15 years. This is part of a continued upwards trend, and means the number of new episodes of compulsory treatment using the Mental Health Act is the highest it has been in at least 15 years. Continue reading Concern over rising compulsory mental health treatment
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health & Children spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has responded to figures showing four times as many children under 13 were prescribed antidepressants last year as just seven years ago. The figures, obtained by BBC Scotland, show that last year 252 children aged 12 and under were given antidepressants while in 2009/10 it was 57. Continue reading More children on antidepressants: Greens comment
Scottish NHS Boards commit nearly £8 billion to tackle mental health services over decade
Latest figures have revealed that NHS Lothian spending on mental health services has totalled over £1 billion since 2007. Local MSP Ben Macpherson says the figures show the SNP’s commitment to supporting those with mental health issues since the party came to power a decade ago. Continue reading NHS Lothian mental health spending tops £1 billion since 2007
Further reduction in waiting times
The number of children and young people seen by mental health services (CAMHS) within the target time has increased for the third consecutive quarter.
Figures published by ISD Scotland this week show that 83.6% of people were seen within 18 weeks during the quarter ending 31 March 2017, up from 82.5% in the previous quarter.
CAMHS workforce has increased by 65% under this Government, with the the number of CAMHS psychologists having more than doubled.
Maureen Watt, Minister for Mental Health, said: “This continued reduction in CAMHS waiting times is encouraging, with 10 Boards achieving the target this quarter – up from seven at the end of 2016. However I’m clear that we must continue to reduce waiting times and I will not be satisfied until our target is met sustainably.
“We will continue to work with Boards to make sure that happens right across Scotland and the Mental Health Access Improvement Support Team, which has delivered significant improvements in NHS Forth valley, are working in partnership with Boards to deliver sustained improvements.
“Our recently published ten-year strategy for mental health sets out a range of measures that focus on prevention and early intervention to meet the mental health needs of children and young people, backed by £150 million of funding.
“We will also soon commission reviews into school counselling and rejected child and adolescent mental health service referrals, as a foundation for making further improvements.”
Continue reading Minister welcomes mental health target improvements
Redhall Walled Garden are holding their annual community Open day, called Razzmatazz, on Saturday 8th July (12-5pm). Entry by Donation. Continue reading Redhall Summer Razzmatazz
Members of the public are being urged to “spread a little kindness” to help mark Mental Health Awareness Week. The national week runs from 8 to 14 May but it also coincides with the year-long 52 Weeks of Kindness campaign run by Breathing Space, Scotland’s mental health helpline. Continue reading Spread a little kindness to support Mental Health Awareness Week
