6. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being: 'Together for Mental Health' Strategy and Next Steps

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:48 pm on 11 October 2022.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Lynne Neagle Lynne Neagle Labour 4:48, 11 October 2022

Thank you very much, Jane, and thank you for the kind words as well, which are much appreciated. I just want to be clear that I didn't say that all young people don't need specialist mental health support. What we know, though, is that some of those young people who are referred into specialist CAMHS won't meet the threshold for specialist CAMHS because they're not mentally ill; they're experiencing acute distress because of what's going on in their lives. It's the sort of missing-middle children and young people that we picked up in 'Mind over matter'. What matters is that wherever young people need that support, they're able to get it at whatever point they need it. That's what our 'no wrong door' approach is all about. 

I do have to take issue with some of the things you've said about waiting times, because if we look at the most recent figures for your own constituency in Powys, they're well above the 80 per cent target: 97.4 per cent of children are seen within the four weeks, and are actually receiving an intervention within 97.1 per cent for primary mental health services. For specialist CAMHS it's 91.3 per cent, although I acknowledge that other areas are not in such a good position. And, just to give you the assurance, the delivery unit review that I've referred to is coming to completion now. They've been working with all health boards to develop trajectories so that health boards can all recover their performance to meet the targets that we've set out. 

I'm very happy to meet you, Jane, to talk about crisis services. Just to say as well, as I said in the statement, we are making good progress with our 111 'press 2 for mental health'. I met with all the vice chairs last week to have a full update on where they're at, and entirely recognise that this won't be just about mental health services. That's why the health boards have to get the right pathways in place, because lots of the people, we know from the data, who come forward for crisis support will, unfortunately, be people who are struggling with things like the cost-of-living crisis, debt and things like that as well. So, we've got to have that range of pathways in place so that we can connect people with the right services. But I'm very happy to have that discussion with you.