I am pleased to have the opportunity to take part in this afternoon's debate.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of holding a joint briefing session on mental health services in rural areas with Simon Thomas. This event highlighted some of the serious issues regarding mental health provision in our rural communities. As Angela Burns said, one in four people suffer from mental health issues at some point in their lives, and the agricultural industry has one of the highest rates of suicide. The farming industry can be a very arduous one to work in, and several factors that cause stress are out of farmers' hands, such as fluctuating prices in the market or the emotional effect of bovine TB. Many farmers work in isolated conditions and spend long hours on their own with very little contact with others. The nature of the work demands long hours of difficult physical labour.

Indeed, according to a report on supporting farmers' well-being by the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust, approximately 50 farmers in the UK die by suicide every year. In the United States, farmers, foresters and fishermen have the highest rates of suicide of any profession in the country. Despite these facts, mental health is not often discussed in the farming industry, and even though efforts are being made to address this issue, it is clear that more could be done. 

However, awareness of mental health in rural areas is increasing and good work is being done across Wales. In my constituency, Emma Picton-Jones established the DPJ Foundation in July 2016 following the death of her husband Daniel, and we heard an excellent presentation from Emma in yesterday's briefing session. The foundation's aim is to support men in rural communities who face mental health issues by using Daniel's story to help challenge the stigma associated with mental health. Very recently, it launched Share the Load, an outreach counselling service that offers talking therapies and outreach advice services to those who need the support. The foundation's work is currently focused on Pembrokeshire, but there are examples of these kinds of activities in other parts of Wales, and it's vital that the Welsh Government promotes more locally based mental health support networks that are suited to the requirements of a particular locality. Perhaps in responding to this debate, the Cabinet Secretary might tell us how the Welsh Government is working with smaller community networks, especially in rural Wales, to get to grips with mental health issues in those communities.

Of course, raising awareness is one thing, but it is also important that services are available to people who face mental health issues, and there are concerns that there is no access to services in rural areas. The remote nature of many farming communities means that they are often geographically removed from core health services. For example, Hywel Dda local health board held a consultation on its plans to change the way it provides mental health services across west Wales by establishing a central specialist assessment unit at Glangwili hospital, with a central treatment unit located at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli. For rural communities located in Pembrokeshire, this once again means that patients will have to travel further afield for specialist treatment. Unfortunately, the health board's proposals will naturally add to journey times, and there is no doubt that people who depend on public transport will face additional difficulties because transport infrastructure in Pembrokeshire is restricted. So, it is, therefore, vital that the Welsh Government acknowledges that there is no one-size-fits-all solution and that health boards must understand this when they plan their services.

We could also learn lessons from across the globe with regard to how other nations tackle mental health in rural communities. The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust report makes it clear that Australia and New Zealand are leading the way in their response to mental health issues among farmers, and perhaps we could benefit from some of their ideas. For example, New Zealand has a system of health pit stops where farmers have an opportunity to have a general physical and mental health check. These pit stops are held at major industry events, such as agricultural fairs. This trailer has also developed institutions such as the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health and the National Centre for Farmer Health, which focus on developing intervention strategies for mental health and well-being in rural communities. So, there is scope for Wales to look at these initiatives to see how we can learn from some of the successes, and I hope that the Welsh Government will ensure that our health boards learn from successful schemes worldwide.

In closing, Deputy Presiding Officer, may I once again reiterate the importance of investing in mental health support networks for rural communities? Farmers are some of the most important workers in Wales, but they are also sometimes some of our most vulnerable citizens. And so, as part of any strategy or policy that the Government develops on mental health, I would like to see a deeper understanding of and greater attention paid to our rural communities and those who work in them. I therefore urge Members to support this motion. Thank you very much.