We鈥檝e welcomed a new action plan to improve mental health services in Northern Ireland.
Our Four Nations Lead Steve Mulligan says he鈥檚 pleased the plan aims to increase counselling provision in primary care.
And he wants to work with Health Minister Robin Swann and his department to ensure counselling and psychotherapy plays its role in the front line of mental health support.
鈥淭he new Mental Health Action Plan provides much needed impetus to urgently improve access to mental health support in Northern Ireland,鈥� said Steve.
Counselling
鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased to see it includes an important ambition to increase uptake on counselling provision in primary care and to expand both geographical coverage and quality of service of聽psychological therapies hubs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also pleasing to see an ambition to develop specialist perinatal mental health services.
鈥淲e see this as an important staging post towards the development of a ten-year funded mental health strategy 聽and we鈥檙e keen to work with the Health Minister, his department and the new Mental Health Champion to ensure the counselling and psychotherapy workforce is a key part of the front line of mental health support in Northern Ireland.
鈥淲e know Covid-19 is further exacerbating the already challenging mental health situation in Northern Ireland and this will need to be further reflected in increased ambition聽and resource within the new Ten Year Strategy,鈥� Steve added.
, including a commitment to a mental health strategy, which will include a comprehensive funding plan for mental health. There is also a plan for dealing with the response to the coronavirus crisis.
Priority
Mr Swann said: 鈥淪ince taking up post as Minister for Health, I鈥檝e been clear that mental health is a priority for me.聽
鈥淭he Mental Health Action Plan is the first in a series of steps I will take to ensure those suffering from mental ill health will be able to access the services they need, when they need them.
鈥淭he importance of this has been brought into sharp focus during these unprecedented times, when the mental health of the population is suffering as a result of the devastating impact of covid-19.
鈥淭hat is why the Action Plan includes a dedicated COVID-19 response plan which outlines the psychological wellbeing and mental health response to the current pandemic.鈥�
He added:聽鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to announce specialist perinatal mental health services, the development of managed care networks for child and adolescent mental health services and forensic mental health services. In addition, there will be further support for mental health in primary care.鈥�