Responding to the Prime Minister’s
announcement today on prevention and mental
health, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the
LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Good mental health and wellbeing is essential for
all of our communities and we are pleased to see the recognition
of prevention and early intervention as part of a joined-up
approach to this.
"Councils already make a significant contribution to
the mental wellbeing of their local communities through providing
libraries, parks and leisure centres which help to improve
people’s general mental wellbeing, as well as helping people to
live fulfilling lives beyond diagnosis and treatment. This is in
addition to commissioning services such as supported housing,
substance and alcohol abuse and money advice, that help people in
vulnerable circumstances.
“The extra funding announced
to strengthen and deliver local
suicide prevention plans is a clear endorsement
of councils’ locally-driven approach and a recognition that by
working together and supporting one another, we can reduce rates
of suicide and save lives.
“It is also important that the commitment to overhaul
the Mental Health Act is matched by a commitment to invest more
in the community mental health
services which prevent people from reaching crisis point in the
first place and support people to recover.
“Equally, councils also play an important part in
supporting children’s mental health, but we must change the
emphasis away from treating children once they are ill to helping
them and their families cope with the challenges they
face.
“We support plans by the Government to
train teachers and social workers in spotting signs of mental
ill-health, as well as the new mental health units that schools
can refer to. However, we still need on-site school counselling
services in every school and increased investment in the school
nurse workforce, as this would help ensure children can access
the support as early as they need without being turned away, as
well as reduce overall demand on specialist
services.
"However to achieve true parity of care between
mental and physical health, we need a root and branch overhaul of
mental health services, which focuses on prevention and early
intervention, particularly for children and young
people.
“Councils are keen to work with the Government to
help improve the mental wellbeing of all of our communities. With
local government facing an overall funding gap of £8 billion by
2025, councils need adequate funding for the full range of
services, such as housing, leisure, social services and public
health, which contribute to mental wellness and play an essential
part in the mental health system.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
-
Councils in England face an overall funding gap of
£8 billion by 2025. The LGA’s #CouncilsCan campaign aims to
influence the forthcoming Spending Review and highlight the
growing risk to vital local services if the Government does not
take action to secure the financial sustainability of councils.
Visit our campaign page for more information - https://www.local.gov.uk/spending-review-2019
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The LGA and the Association of Directors of Public
Health have been awarded £600,000 in sector-led improvement
(SLI) funding to help reduce and prevent incidents of suicide
in their communities, by helping councils share best practice,
advice and support.
