Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan): SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-5453, in the name of Christine Grahame, on the Health and Sport Committee's report, "Inquiry into child a...

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): SNP

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Your rebuke is noted by me. I was en route and I apologise.First, I take this opportunity to thank all who gave oral and...

That the Parliament notes the conclusions and recommendations contained in the Health and Sport Committee's 7th Report, 2009 (Session 3):

Report on the Inquiry into child and adolescent mental health and well-being (SP Paper 309).

The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison): SNP

Happy new year to all health colleagues.I thank the committee very much for bringing the important issue of child and adolescent mental health services to th...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): Lab

I want to ask specifically about an issue that Christine Grahame rightly raised: that universal screening appears to end at eight weeks. That is not even the...

Shona Robison: SNP

A new chief executive letter is about to be issued that will make it clear that there must be flexibility around the guidance. The guidance is simply guidanc...

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

You have about a minute.

Shona Robison: SNP

The promotion of mental health among infants, children and young people is one of our six strategic priorities that are set out in "Towards a Mentally Flouri...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): Lab

I declare an interest as a fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and a member of SAMH.The whole area of children's services has been characterised ove...

Shona Robison: SNP

Will the member give way?

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

I am afraid that the member is about to sit down—even though he may not know it.

Dr Simpson: Lab

Perhaps the minister can address the point that she was going to make when she sums up at the end of the debate.To conclude—

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

Quickly, please.

Dr Simpson: Lab

The framework is excellent; the timing is wrong. We need greater urgency on this matter, which must become a higher priority.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Con

I am sorry to start the year on a negative note but, having listened carefully to the minister, I must say that I was disappointed in what she said. If there...

Shona Robison: SNP

Will the member take an intervention?

Mary Scanlon: Con

I have only 10 seconds left.My granddaughter received the measles, mumps and rubella jab at 15 months and her parents were told to bring her back at the age ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

I am afraid that the member is stretching my patience a little bit.

Mary Scanlon: Con

The Governments of Wales and Northern Ireland have in place national strategies for school counselling and its implementation, backed by ring-fenced funding ...

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): LD

Clearly, not being a member of the committee presents me with a slight difficulty. As members know, I am more used to making a winding-up speech than an open...

Shona Robison: SNP

Does the member acknowledge that the vast majority of children are referred much more quickly than that? The HEAT target is designed to ensure that there is ...

Jamie Stone: LD

I note what the minister says.As I said just before the minister intervened, we need to ensure that children have timely access to mental health services no ...

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): SNP

In the short time available to me I will concentrate on two matters that are covered in the committee's important report, which, sadly, received little publi...

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): Lab

As the committee's excellent report and the accompanying evidence make clear, there is a great deal of continuity in mental health policy from the previous A...

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): SNP

As a couple of members have said, mental health services are often called the Cinderella of our national health service. During the inquiry, I was struck by ...

Dr Simpson: Lab

Professor James Law of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists said that it was bad not only that the number of referrals from health visitors wa...

Michael Matheson: SNP

I recall the strong evidence that we received from Professor Law.The visit emphasised for me the real need to ensure not only that adequate services are made...

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): Lab

The American declaration of independence declares that people have "certain unalienable Rights"and"that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman): Lab

I can give Cathy Jamieson about four minutes.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): Lab

Thank you, Presiding Officer, for giving me the opportunity to make a brief contribution to the debate. I will focus on adolescents, but first I thank the co...