Meeting of the Parliament 12 January 2022
We are still in the midst of the pandemic, and this is the most precarious time in the pandemic—we still have Covid cases and there are other winter pressures. Quite frankly, we have a situation in which folk are tired. We are supporting our staff and continuing to help where we can to drive down waiting times and lists—they are unacceptable, and we will do all that we can to get them down.
I have talked about the record transformational investment. I will also talk about the new multidisciplinary model, which will deliver our manifesto commitment to provide 1,000 additional dedicated roles by 2026 to help to grow community mental health resilience and increase the use of social prescribing. The approach has the potential to be truly transformative by fundamentally changing how services are delivered. It provides the opportunity for a truly person-centred service, with more help for people when and where they need it.
The multidisciplinary approach has been developed in partnership and will be central to changing how we deliver services. The newly funded roles could include mental health nurses, psychologists, peer support workers, occupational therapists and link workers. That will increase the range of responses that are available in or around general practitioner settings. It will no longer be the case that an individual can be treated only by their GP or through a referral to secondary services.
To facilitate person-centred care, a range of professionals will be available to deliver a sustainable, timely and compassionate mental health service. We have heard directly from patients how support from different professionals can be life changing. Following input from her occupational therapist, one patient in Ayrshire and Arran said:
“my sleep pattern has improved and I feel like I am a different person”.
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists recognises that such support can prevent conditions from getting worse, especially when physical health and mental ill health intertwine. The approach looks to improve our nation’s health not just now but in the long term, because it puts the needs of individuals first and, over time, it will reduce pressure on our hospitals and acute services.
The service will not operate in isolation. As well as strengthening links with secondary care, those involved will sit in and link to broader community assets, such as addiction services, food banks, benefit support and on-going emotional support. That aspect of the services will be supported by every GP practice having access to a link worker, who will support mental wellbeing through good-quality conversations and through putting individuals at the centre of decision making about their care.