9. Welsh Conservatives Debate: Mental Health

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:09 pm on 6 October 2021.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 4:09, 6 October 2021

I was delighted when the new Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being was appointed because I know of her personal passion to want to get to grips with the problems that we've had in our young people's mental health services over the years, and I was a member of the Children, Young People and Education Committee when it produced its 'Mind over matter' report. And I'm very much hoping that the Minister will be able to address many of the concerns that, unfortunately, we all know, are still lingering in the aftermath of that report. Many of the recommendations, of course, were accepted by the Welsh Government, some were not, to the angst of the then Chair of the committee. But, quite clearly, this is something that we need to work on a cross-party basis to address and we have always done so when it comes to mental health in this Senedd over the years. 

My own constituency, of course, is located in the area that is served by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and it's a matter of deep regret to me that that health board has had in the past major challenges in the delivery of its mental health services, with scandalous care provided to elderly people on the Tawel Fan ward in the Ablett unit. And also, it unfortunately still has some huge and significant problems going forward. It remains in special measures to all intents and purposes, the highest level of intervention, in relation to those mental health challenges that it still has, even some six years on since the organisation went into special measures. I think, Deputy Minister, we will be looking to you to really raise that issue up the priority list, so that we can ensure that the people of north Wales get the levels of care and treatment, access to treatment, that they deserve.

We know at the moment—. Yes, I'll happily take an intervention.