Legal News

Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has launched the Welsh Government's new delivery plan to improve mental health and wellbeing in Wales.

Together for Mental Heath is a ten-year, cross-government strategy designed to improve the mental wellbeing of all residents in Wales. The plan covers all ages and contains a range of actions to support people with severe and enduring mental illness.

The strategy sets out ten priority areas for service improvement and is implemented through three-year delivery plans for government and stakeholders. The first delivery plan covered the period 2012-2015 – the next stage of the plan covers 2016-2019.

Following recent consultation, the delivery plan contains a number of new objectives, including Improved support for young people, particularly those at risk of adverse childhood experiences.

A new strategic action plan for dementia will be implemented, with action to address suicide and self-harm.

There will also be a range of actions to ensure services are provided in a safe, timely and effective way, ensuring the dignity and respect of the person using the service.

The Welsh government will also set goals to ensure groups at a higher risk of mental health issues receive the care they need – the government says pregnancy and early parenthood are challenging times and the plan offers additional support to families.

The strategy will also include targets to help people with an eating disorder, people who have left the Armed Forces – and will help people in the criminal justice system receive the services they need at the right time.

Welsh Assembly Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said:

“Together for Mental Health is at the very heart of everything we're doing to improve mental health services here in Wales.

“We have continued to spend more on mental health services than on any other part of the Welsh NHS – and we've seen funding increased to £600 million in 2015-2016.

“In the past year alone, we have announced £22 million of new funding, linked to our priority areas for delivery over the next three years – the period this delivery plan covers.

“It's important that we continue to increase knowledge and understanding about mental health problems – and that we get more people to start talking about mental health.

“The stigma often around mental health continues to be a major challenge. Ending mental health discrimination is a commitment in our new Programme for Government – and the new delivery plan places even greater emphasis on tackling stigma and discrimination.”

Mr Gething launched the strategy to coincide with World Mental Health Day.

Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on a wide range of issues – including access to NHS mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act.

Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors regularly visit NHS hospitals to advise on mental health law – and are available nationwide at short notice for hospital and police station appointments.

In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors may be able to advise the nearest relative or carer of a mental health patient on a range of issues, including initiating treatment reviews where appropriate.

For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 020 3114 1124.