Four policies I’d like to see from the next Labour government to improve mental health services and tackle mental health stigma

Mental health awareness has come to the forefront of political thinking over the course of 2014, which is a fantastic thing. But while I agree with the Prime Minister that we need to see parity of esteem between physical and mental health, he says this at the same time as bringing in NHS cuts which are having a huge and detrimental impact on already overstretched mental health services. While awareness is a really positive thing, it needs to be coupled with real concrete policies if we are to combat the growing mental health crisis we are facing. So here are four policies I’d like to see a Labour Government bring in:

1. Too often people in desperate need of help can be left waiting for up to twelve months to receive the diagnosis and treatment that they need, and there are stark differences between the speeds of referrals in different parts of the country. Most NHS areas saw between 1,000 and 3,000 IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) referrals in the last quarter of 2013/14 – but in some areas there were fewer than 100. A Labour government should therefore guarantee that people should not wait more than two months to receive the help that they need, and commit to ensuring these standards are upheld in every part of the countries, and should invest in the NHS’s mental health facilities to enable this to happen.

2. 50% of lifetime cases of diagnosable mental illness begin by the age of fourteen and one in ten children and young people aged 5 – 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder – that is around three children in every class. A Labour government should therefore embed mental health in the national curriculum, with lessons specifically discussing welfare and mental health. I’m sure many of us learnt about which foods we should eat to stay healthy, why do we not also educated children about mental health and mental illnesses, and how to look after our minds? Additionally, teachers and other staff should be trained to identify when children at school show signs of mental health problems, and on how to provide guidance and support. Schools should be properly equipped to refer children to mental health services, both in the public and third sector where that would be helpful for the child.

3. A Labour government should make mental health and welfare training part of compulsory health and safety training. All staff should be trained in how to look after their own mental health in the workplace, and those in managerial roles should also be trained in how to be aware of the mental health of their employees and how best to provide support to those who are suffering from mental health problems.

4. And finally, a Labour government should invest in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, which are currently being cut and frozen in many parts of the country despite rising demand. This has led to situations where young people who have been detained under the mental health act are put in prison cells rather than hospitals. We need to see greater funding to this services and a commitment to ensuring serves are up to scratch across the entire country.