Meeting of the Parliament 06 January 2015
Of course, this is a big subject. I know that Mary Scanlon feels that it is not given enough time, but it is a subject that affects so many people that we could literally talk about it constantly. For that reason, we have to hone down our contributions, as everyone who has spoken today has done.
I am particularly interested in the aspects of the Government motion that talk about mental health and wellbeing, because wellbeing is an important word to use about someone’s health, whether physical or mental. I am also interested in the mental health innovation fund and would like to hear more about that. I have read that it is about identifying new ways of treating people in the early stages. It ties in with primary care services, too. Malcolm Chisholm referred to the SAMH briefing and I think that Richard Simpson also spoke about primary care services, which are important for early identification and understanding. They are also important in taking away some of the stigma around mental ill health. I remember reading a piece of research that said that some people felt that even their GP was stigmatising them when they went along to seek help. A big awareness-raising exercise needs to go on, as well.
The Government’s mental health strategy ties in with the NHS Scotland quality strategy about making healthcare person-centred, safe and effective. That is particularly relevant for mental health issues. Healthcare must be person-centred; it must suit each person. There should be a joined-up approach not only in the health portfolio but across all portfolios and every aspect of life. That is what leads to an overall sense of wellbeing. Too often, we separate things and put them into different categories. Sometimes, the pooling of health budgets, transport budgets and arts and culture budgets can create a sense of wellbeing. I see that regularly in my constituency.
I have spoken many times about Theatre Nemo, which does wonderful stuff in the arts, but today I want to mention another organisation, which ties into the issue of new towns. The centres of new towns are different from those of other towns. In new towns such as Cumbernauld, Glenrothes and East Kilbride, the shopping centre is the town centre. Therefore, I want to talk about the shopmobility scheme, which supplies disability carts, bikes, trolleys and so on in town centres. However, it is not just about shops; it is about enabling people to feel that they are part of their community because they can move around their own town centre, where they will find not only shops but libraries, cafes and other places where they can meet people. People who live in new towns do not just walk out of the door and go along to local shops; they have to go to their town centre.
I would like there to be a lot more joined-up thinking across portfolios and I ask Mr Hepburn, in his new role, to think about reaching out beyond his portfolio and seeing where the mental health innovation fund can be used and augmented by other aspects of Government so that we can promote that sense of wellbeing that comes not from being referred to a service by a GP but from feeling that one’s life is useful.
16:59