Meeting of the Parliament 13 June 2018
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, which takes place at a time of significant change in attitudes to mental health. Here in Scotland, all the parties that have been elected to Parliament were elected on manifesto commitments to improve provision and quality of mental health services. Although we may differ in our approaches, we are united in challenging all stigma that is associated with mental health, are proud to support our third sector partners and have, collectively, played a part in pushing mental health to the top of the political agenda. That is to be welcomed, and it demonstrates what can be achieved when we speak with a common voice. Despite much of what has been said so far, I believe that there is much common ground.
Just as we all recognise the priorities of increasing awareness, tackling stigma and achieving parity for mental health with physical health, we all recognise the challenges in making that vision a reality. I am sure that all members fully appreciate that. I am sure that we have all supported constituents and their families who have had difficulties in accessing timely treatment. I certainly know how frustrating and time consuming it can be to achieve a successful outcome for constituents in such cases. I therefore understand clearly why frustration and anger inform the language that some members use to discuss mental health services, and why that leads to demands for immediate action from the Government. However, we all know and appreciate that there is no short cut to achieving our shared vision for mental health services.
The welcome increase in awareness of mental ill health in Scotland has seen a commensurate increase in demand. As all members will realise, that situation is not unique to Scotland: our neighbours in other parts of the United Kingdom are experiencing the same challenges. Indeed, our Commonwealth cousins in Canada, Australia and New Zealand are also facing the same rising demand, which is resulting in political debates that are similar to the one that we are having.
The fact that other countries near and far are tackling the same problems as we are is, of course, no comfort to a young person who has had a rejected CAMHS referral or who has received a referral only to find themselves on a long waiting list, and nor is it any comfort to their family. However, I believe that it is vital that we understand that Scotland is not alone in having to adapt and develop its health services to meet new needs and demands. That is as true for mental health as it is for the demands arising from having an ageing population.
Just as we need that perspective internationally, we require it when look at Scotland internally. As members are well aware, with mental health services and all public services, there is performance variation within Scotland. That is a consequence of having 32 local authorities, 31 integration boards and 14 territorial health boards. Clearly, our aim must be to minimise variation and to work towards equity in service provision, but achieving that will take time. As the member for Renfrewshire South, I know that in CAMHS in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the last quarter, 88.7 per cent of people were seen within 18 weeks and that, in bordering NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the figure was 98.3 per cent. However, I know that the same is not true in other parts of the country, so we must work to achieve parity.
As I said, that will take time. To take one example with CAMHS, we want a situation in which people do not get to tier 3 and 4 services; that is about having strong community provision. Scotland has taken a lead on that, and we all support integration, but we know that the benefits will take time to feed through, just as it will take time—