The Department for Health and Social Care have today announced a call for evidence to inform a new 10-year plan to improve mental health.
This is part of ambitious plans to finally ensure mental and physical health are put on equal footing and will build on current progress to assess how local services can work together to prevent mental ill health.
Residents, people of all ages with lived experience of mental health conditions and those who support people with mental ill-health are being asked to respond to the call for evidence which runs for 12 weeks until 5 July.
Many residents have been in touch with me in the past 2 years particularly, to voice their concerns over the rising number of people experiencing mental health concerns due to the pandemic. Indeed, around 1 in 5 adults in Britain experienced some form of depression in the first 3 months of 2021, over double pre-pandemic figures.
To combat this, the Government has made available £500 million to support groups most impacted, including children and young people. The call for evidence will build on this fantastic funding and take into consideration not only what is needed from lived experiences, but also what is currently working/not working in mental health support.
You can read more about the call for evidence, respond online, or respond via post here.
Local Mental Health Resources:
- Changing Minds Centre (Danetre Hospital, Daventry)
- 01327 708109
- Daventry Mental Health Carers
- 07562 457968
- daventrycarersgroup@rethink.org
- Offers support for people whose friends or family have been affected by mental illness.
- Green Health at Daventry
- 07562 457968
- greenhealthgroup@rethink.org
- Local group that offers people living with mental illness the opportunity to get involved in horticulture projects.
- Daventry Mind
- Brook Street, Old Gas Works Car Park, Daventry, NN11 4GG
- 01327 879416
As ever, if there's anything I can do to be of assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch at chris.heatonharris.mp@parliament.uk.