Hansard

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness of the see me campaign, which is Scotland’s national programme aimed at ending the stigma and discrimination attached to mental illness. In doing so, I hope to build on the cross-party consensus that has characterised consideration of the issue in previous years. I recognise that all members take seriously our responsibility to improve awareness of mental health.

One in four Scots experiences some kind of mental health problem in their lifetime, and more than half of those who do have experienced some form of discrimination or stigma relating to their mental health. Despite affecting many of us, mental illness is commonly misunderstood, sidelined and stigmatised. It is important to make clear and normalise the idea that people who suffer from a mental illness should be treated with the same dignity and respect with which those who suffer from physical problems are treated. The Parliament must do its utmost to support initiatives such as the see me campaign that seek to redress the balance and challenge attitudes to mental illness.

Since the see me campaign was launched in 2002 by my esteemed colleague Malcolm Chisholm, it has worked effectively to challenge attitudes to mental illness. A recent Scottish Government survey revealed a 10 per cent drop in people saying that they would not want anybody to know if they developed a mental health problem. Some 61 per cent of people with experience of mental health problems have said that they feel more able to be open about their illness than they did five years ago, and 63 per cent of the same sample thought that the see me campaign had improved media reporting of people with mental health problems. I genuinely think that the campaign has much to be proud of, although it is clear that more needs to be done.

It is not in question that mental illness in Scotland is associated with stigma and discrimination, but members need not take it from me—let me share the experience of Paul from Arbroath. He says:

“I found it difficult to apply for jobs and I only got one or two interviews. I think it was because I was open about my mental health problems on applications. I was just 20 years old when my consultant psychiatrist told me I would never work again. It is soul destroying to be told by a professional, someone I looked up to and who was there to help, that you won’t work or achieve anything in life.”

It is clear from that sobering quote that it is crucial to the self-worth and self-perception of people who are suffering from mental illness that those around them, including those who are in direct support roles, understand and adopt helpful and well-informed attitudes in relation to their condition.

Mental illness has become an unacceptable and unnecessary barrier to social interaction and employment in Scotland. I commend to members the forthcoming dismissed? campaign that the Scottish Association for Mental Health will undertake during mental health awareness week, which will highlight issues surrounding fairness and employability for those who suffer from mental illness.

The see me campaign believes that it will take a generation to effect lasting change in our society, as I am sure do others. However, I recognise that, in a period of economic difficulty and recovery from recession, we can expect that people’s mental wellbeing will be under further strain. We must therefore be clear about ensuring that there are sufficient resources for support services.

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the breathing space helpline, which is based in NHS 24 and is for those who are coping with mental health problems. I was hugely impressed by the calibre of the staff and the quality of the work that they undertake. In the past few years, the helpline has experienced a steadily increasing volume of calls. Between 2009-10 and 2010-11, the number of calls that it handles has already increased by a third, and it is getting higher. Although the response rate is good, the helpline is clearly experiencing demand that is increasing at a faster rate than its funding and resources can match. A few calls go unanswered, but the performance overall is very good. I regard that as a success story.

Local authorities also face challenges, and some face difficult decisions about services. I, and I am sure other members, have heard of changes such as zero hours contracts for mental health workers, which lead to a lack of continuity of care and support for their clients. We are also beginning to see a reduction in some services in one or two areas at a time when increasing numbers of people are experiencing mental health problems. I am sure that the desire to ensure that there is an adequate level of support for people with mental illness is shared by the Government and by everybody in the Parliament.

In Scotland, the costs associated with mental health problems are high. According to see me, we spend about £1,520 million on health and social care each year, and £2,378 million is the cost to the Scottish economy of mental health problems. According to studies in New Zealand, every dollar that is spent on reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness saves the country $13. It therefore makes sense for us to continue to invest.

I am conscious that the Government has a health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment—HEAT—target on reducing the use of antidepressants. We support that target. Frankly, antidepressants need to be the last resort for anybody who is prescribing. However, despite that commitment, there was a 7 per cent increase in prescribing last year, and a 4 per cent increase the year before. We need to understand why that happened and whether it is down to increased numbers or whether general practitioners are prescribing more than they used to. Equally, we need to ensure that alternative treatments and therapies are available. When I visited NHS 24, I saw a new project that is designed to provide support by telephone to people in, I think, at least five health board areas. I commend that to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing for roll-out across the country. It is certainly an essential service, and people are accessing it.

I am delighted to support the see me campaign in its continuing efforts to fight the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental illness. I hope that this debate provides one opportunity to raise awareness of those important issues and to renew our support for the continuing challenges to that stigma and discrimination.