Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 12 January 2022
12 Jan 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Mental Health and Wellbeing (Primary Care)
I thank Kevin Stewart and the Scottish Government for bringing forward the debate. In October, my first members’ business debate celebrated world mental health day, and it is great to see the issue being debated again.
The first line of the motion states that
“the Parliament recognises the importance of improving capability and capacity for mental health assessment, care and support within primary care settings”.
Obviously, that is in the context of our recovery from the pandemic. The commitment to expand mental health and wellbeing primary care services is being supported by the £120 million mental health recovery and renewal fund, which is very welcome.
Why is that important? A few members have talked about that today. We have all been briefed by various organisations. The Mental Health Foundation has said that long-term inequalities continue to drive many mental health problems across Scotland. Children who live in the poorest households are four times more likely to have poorer mental wellbeing than those in the highest-income households.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-02747, in the name of Kevin Stewart, on mental health and wellbeing in primary care services. I invite me...
The Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care (Kevin Stewart)
SNP
Happy new year to you, Presiding Officer, and all in the chamber. I welcome the opportunity to open the debate on mental health and wellbeing in primary care...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I am grateful for the minister’s assurances about his Government’s commitment to addressing the crisis in child and adolescent mental health care. However, h...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
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 pressure...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
Does the minister agree that link workers should be in every practice under the contract that is already in place?
Kevin Stewart
SNP
We already have link workers in practices, and this goes much further. As I have said, the multifaceted approach will make a difference not only to GPs in pr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to wind up now, minister.
Kevin Stewart
SNP
I am almost there, Presiding Officer. I recognise that this winter is one of the most difficult winters that those in our workforce have faced. Their wellbe...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We are quite tight for time, so I encourage members to stick to their time allocation. 15:11
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
I wish you, Presiding Officer, and everyone else who is present a happy new year. I welcome this debate on mental health and primary care in Scotland. At it...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
During the short time that I have been in this role, I have spent a lot of time talking to folks with lived experience. I do not disagree with Mr Hoy about t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
That is an important point, but it is not a brief intervention.
Craig Hoy
Con
I thank the minister for his not-so-brief intervention. I agree with him that, if community link workers can act almost as translators between practitioners ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to conclude now, Mr Hoy.
Craig Hoy
Con
—and to tackle the underlying causes of poor mental health. That should not be too much to ask. I move amendment S6M-02747.3, to leave out from “further rec...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to open the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour. As a party, we have been at the forefront of arguing for a better settleme...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
Mental health has been a priority for the Government since it came to power, and there has been significant investment in mental health provision. Since 2007...
Carol Mochan
Lab
I will come on to address those issues. There are so many personal stories. We have heard many of them; the experiences of young people, in particular, stan...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Is the member arguing that the NHS budget should be cut so that more can be given to local government?
Carol Mochan
Lab
I am fed up with Government party back benchers using that as an excuse to not properly fund services. The need for proper funding must be recognised. To re...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You need to close now.
Carol Mochan
Lab
I will. Although, in this case, the Government also allocated time to congratulate itself.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
No—you need to conclude now.
Carol Mochan
Lab
It is politics by press release. I hope that the amendment in my name for Scottish Labour will be supported. I move amendment S6M-02747.1, to leave out from...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
I call on Alex Cole-Hamilton to speak to and to move amendment S6M-02747.2. 15:27
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I am grateful to the Government for making time for this debate, because Scotland still faces a national mental health crisis. It has been defined as a crisi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We move to the open debate. James Dornan joins us online. 15:33
James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP)
SNP
This is an extremely important debate and I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in support of the motion in the name of Kevin Stewart. That is why I ...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Primary care services are often the first point of contact for people who are experiencing mental health problems, but, as we have heard today, improving men...
Paul McLennan (East Lothian) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Kevin Stewart and the Scottish Government for bringing forward the debate. In October, my first members’ business debate celebrated world mental heal...