Local mental health support
I welcome the government's £343 million investment in mental health services, including 100 new community mental health centres offering walk-in support without a referral or months-long wait, alongside 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments.
I've spoken many times about mental health and the need for parity of esteem with physical health. Mental health should be treated with the same seriousness as physical health, and people should be able to get help when they need it.
This investment is a major opportunity, but we need to make sure Redditch benefits.
Too many people face long waits or struggle to navigate the system when they need support. Being able to walk into a local centre, without a referral, and speak to someone could make a real difference – particularly for people who need help before they reach crisis point.
That's why I'm calling on our Integrated Care Board (ICB) to choose Redditch as the home of either a new community mental health centre or one of the 59 dedicated mental health emergency departments.
A centre here would give local people somewhere they can turn to quickly, without having to navigate a complicated referral process. It could also help people get support earlier, before problems become more serious.
The dedicated mental health emergency departments are equally important. When someone is in crisis, they should receive appropriate care in a healthcare setting, rather than being left waiting in A&E.
I've launched a petition calling on the ICB to choose Redditch for one of these new services.
If you agree that Redditch should benefit from this investment, please add your name to the petition and help make the case for our town.
Mental health deserves the same priority as physical health. This is an opportunity to put that principle into practice and bring better access to mental health support to people in Redditch.
