5. What action will the Welsh Government take to support women's mental health following the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56569

Thank you very much for that question, Jane. In October 2020, we reissued the 'Together for Mental Health' delivery plan 2019-22, which has been strengthened in key areas as a result of the pandemic impact. We understand that women have been impacted by COVID and its socioeconomic impact. Importantly, while the plan retains a key focus in areas such as improving perinatal mental health support, this is within the context of sustained improvements to wider mental health support services.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Can I extend my congratulations to you on your role as well? Llongyfarchiadau. The Welsh Women's Aid 'State of the Sector' report focuses on the situation for women who've been affected by domestic violence. They catalogue a patchwork of support services in this sector, both for women who are making decisions about leaving a relationship and those who've been affected and are survivors. Could I ask the Minister to give an assurance that there will be a continued focus on the mental health of women affected by domestic violence, including those from black and minority ethnic groups, particularly looking at this being a long-term commitment to services to help the recovery of victims, staff and volunteers? Diolch yn fawr iawn. 

Can I thank Jane Dodds for that important question and for her congratulations?

We have, of course, all been spending more time at home in the past year, and I am acutely aware that for too many people home is not a refuge. That's why the Welsh Government has invested significant funds in this area. The sector has received over £4 million of additional funding to deal with the impact of COVID-19; that's an extra 67 per cent compared with last year. We've also focused our communication campaigns on helping people to stay safe. Our Live Fear Free helpline is a free 24/7 service for all victims and survivors of domestic abuse and sexual violence, and those close to them, and it has remained open, offering a full service, throughout the pandemic.

In addition to that, we've provided open access to the violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence e-learning module to community members, and over 50,000 people have taken that course, which enables people to have a better understanding in order to help and ensure that support is available. In our budget this year, we've committed £42 million to mental health provision, a significant additional and recurrent level of funding for mental health services that will increase health boards' baseline funding in order to support changing mental health needs as a result of COVID. 

I'd just like to assure the Member that we are committed to making services accessible and responsive to individual needs, and that includes the needs of women and those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. What I do recognise, though, is that responding to the broad range of social issues that are often the cause of poor mental health needs a multi-agency and cross-Government approach, and I am committed to driving that approach forward both with partners and the rest of the Welsh Government.

More than half of the population is expected to be living with a long-standing illness by 2023. That is serious, especially as it has been found that over two thirds of people with a long-term physical health condition also suffer with poor mental health. Professor Adrian Edwards, director of Wales's COVID-19 evidence centre, has warned that the mental health side effects of living with chronic conditions will be a huge problem as Wales emerges from the pandemic, so we do need positive action across the nation.

We have a key opportunity to see the Welsh NHS reach out to residents via GP practices, and I know that many constituents have concerns that are coming in at the moment about a lack of face-to-face consultations, especially when raising mental health issues for the first time. In fact, the Royal College of General Practitioners Cymru have called for a dedicated mental health worker at each GP practice across Wales. Will you work with the Minister and our GPs across Wales to make this become a reality? Diolch. 

Thank you, Janet, for that question. I would just to like to assure you that GPs are continuing, as they have done throughout the pandemic, to deliver their services, including their services under the mental health measure. As you'll understand, there have had to be changes to service delivery because of the pandemic, but people who need to be seen face to face are having face-to-face appointments. That said, I know that this is something myself and the health Minister are very much focused on. We're going to be meeting the BMA shortly and will be discussing this, because we have to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks because of the changed models of service delivery.