Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:43 pm on 12 February 2020.
Well, as you know, we continue to part-fund the Time to Change Wales campaign. That has actually made a difference in persuading people to talk more openly and to be more understanding about mental health challenges, because almost all of us, if we haven't had a mental health challenge ourselves, know someone who has. This isn't an uncommon challenge and issue. So, it's not just about funding the campaign; it is about the way that we make choices and the way that we behave.
And, in fact, in the last Assembly term, Members from all of the parties in the Chamber, at that time, spoke about their own challenges. And I think that was a really important moment for this place, to have elected representatives openly talk about the challenge they face, but the fact that, despite that, they still go on and achieve. And there's a challenge here about recognising that having a mental health condition does not mean that the rest of your life needs to stop. We don't say that when people have physical health challenges either, and it's about a much more open and understanding conversation. But this is cultural change. The Government is part of leading that, but all of the answers certainly don't rest in our hands.