Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:37 pm on 14 February 2018.
Actually, as I'll be setting out tomorrow, we're reviewing some of the challenges in mental health service provision, whether it's through CAMHS or local primary mental health services. I'd expect that review to take on board the issues that you've mentioned.
But, of course, the challenge about stigma is why we continue to support the Time to Change Wales campaign. I'm delighted David Melding mentioned it, and again I recognise his own bravery for sharing his own experience, both of going through mental health challenges and being able to come out the other side and say, 'I recognise I'm in a better place now as a result.' There's something there about encouraging more people to do the same, to open up about their own challenges, to change the nature of both public debate but also the private debate that we have as ordinary citizens too.
We do recognise the importance of prevention. That's why it's a key theme, together with early intervention, in 'Together for Mental Health', and that includes a focus on non-clinical support. So, we're keen to maximise opportunities to support people with a wider range of non-clinical community services that offer real health and well-being benefits. Plans for our well-being bond, which will include a focus on mental health, are being finalised and I'll look forward to being able to provide more information to Members on this shortly. We're also committed to a mental health social prescribing pilot and we're on track to have that pilot in place from April this year.
As was recognised earlier by a range of people, including Angela Burns, the roots of health and well-being lie in our childhood. The experiences that we have whilst growing up, the support, the connections, the resources available to us or not, are instrumental in determining our life outcomes and our resilience in dealing with the challenges that life will present us. That's why the Government, together with Public Health Wales, has funded the ACE support hub—adverse childhood experiences. That centre of expertise is to increase understanding of ACEs, to increase resilience, to support and inspire individuals, communities and organisations to learn about ACEs, and to become more aware and to change thinking and behaviour.
We continue to invest in our ambitious programme to improve access to specialist CAMHS services in response to significant increases in recent years. Members will know we've invested significantly in this. Members will also know we've set a new waiting time standard and the challenge now is that I expect to see a further and sustained improvement in performance from March onwards. We'll continue to publish a range of performance data in relation to that access, available by month and individual health board. I look forward to working with people within and outside this Assembly Chamber to continue to improve mental health in every community across Wales.