Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 30 March 2017
30 Mar 2017 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Mental Health Strategy
The Scottish Government set a target for 90 per cent of adults and children whose GP refers them for treatment for mental health issues to begin treatment within 18 weeks. In December last year, national health service statistics revealed that 22.5 per cent—one in five—were not seen within that timeframe. In fact, the target has never been met since it was set by the Scottish Government in December 2014; between October and December last year, only two health boards were able to meet the 90 per cent target. The minister talked in her statement about getting the right help at the right time and about the ask once, get help fast approach. We welcome that, but what specific action will the Scottish Government take to make sure that those in need of mental health treatment are not subject to excessive waiting times?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Maureen Watt on the mental health strategy. The minister will take questions at the end of her statement, so ther...
The Minister for Mental Health (Maureen Watt)
SNP
As the Scottish Government’s first dedicated Minister for Mental Health, I have been driven by a simple principle: we must prevent and treat mental health pr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you, minister. The minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I can allow around 30 minutes for questions and then we wi...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for advance sight of her statement. I begin by expressing my concern, which I know is shared across the chamber, that the Scottish Gove...
Maureen Watt
SNP
As Miles Briggs will know, it is the Parliamentary Bureau, and not the Government, that determines the work programme in the chamber. The Health and Sport Co...
Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, thank the minister for early sight of her statement. There are actions in the strategy that are to be welcomed, such as the managed clinical network ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
You must come to a close, please.
Monica Lennon
Lab
Without a solid commitment to investment and action to support early intervention, how can the minister give assurances that the strategy will adequately imp...
Maureen Watt
SNP
With 40 actions in the strategy, it is indeed transformative, and I think that the member will find that most of the asks in her party’s manifesto have been ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I remind members that the main Opposition spokespeople are given some leeway in the length of their questions, but I ask for brevity in future questions, ple...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP)
SNP
I refer members to my entry in the register of interests as a registered mental health nurse. I want to say, first, how much I welcome the strategy and the ...
Maureen Watt
SNP
I thank Clare Haughey for her question; I recognise her experience in this area. As she said, I have already announced the new managed clinical network for p...
Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
The Scottish Government set a target for 90 per cent of adults and children whose GP refers them for treatment for mental health issues to begin treatment wi...
Maureen Watt
SNP
Scotland was the first country to introduce waiting times for mental health services. I agree with Annie Wells. As I have said in the chamber many times, I a...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
What provision will be made to ensure that in future young people who have exhibited suicidal tendencies or who have a history of suicide attempts are referr...
Maureen Watt
SNP
Every suicide is a tragedy. When a young person needs to be seen urgently by a clinician, that should happen—and it does happen on a daily basis. We are inve...
Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I note that the minister thanked COSLA in her statement. The reality is that this was meant to be a joint strategy from COSLA and the Scottish Government, fo...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Can we have a question, please, Mr Sarwar? Interruption.
Anas Sarwar
Lab
Shona Robison is saying that we missed his welcome for the strategy, but the note says quite clearly that this was meant to be a joint strategy but COSLA is ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Can we have a question, please, Mr Sarwar?
Anas Sarwar
Lab
What action will the Government take to alleviate the crisis that we have with COSLA, and how can we stop cuts to mental health budgets in IJBs?
Maureen Watt
SNP
We can sure rely on Anas Sarwar’s negativity. As I said in my statement, we have worked very closely with COSLA in developing this strategy—joint work has b...
Jenny Gilruth (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP)
SNP
How will the new mental health strategy support the development of positive mental health and wellbeing in schools and, in so doing, support young people’s r...
Maureen Watt
SNP
I recognise Jenny Gilruth’s experience in schools in this field. We will undertake a review of personal and social education in schools and make sure that al...
Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)
Green
What provisions are in the strategy to tackle rising levels of self-harm among children and young people in Scotland, and how will we make sure that young pe...
Maureen Watt
SNP
Self-harm is clearly a demonstration of mental distress. I have visited services in Perth, where, in schools at lunch time, there is groupwork with children ...
Fulton MacGregor (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP)
SNP
In the chamber, we have previously discussed concerns over children or young people with mental health problems being admitted to non-specialist wards, not l...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
With a sore throat.
Fulton MacGregor
SNP
Yes. Laughter.
Maureen Watt
SNP
We have seen improvements in 2016, as reported by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland, with fewer incidents of young people being admitted to non-spec...