Hafal, Wales’ principal charity for people with severe mental illness and their carers, is taking to the road in the run-up to the 2007 Assembly Elections on May 3, to spread the message about mental health.
This week the Hafal Campaign Bus visited Cardiff on the first stop of a tour that will visit towns in North, South, East and West Wales to raise awareness locally about issues affecting people with mental health problems and to promote the charity’s 2007 Manifesto.
The manifesto, which was launched at the Senedd last month, calls on parties and candidates to put mental health on the agenda – and to make it a priority.
Hafal is especially concerned that policy-makers in Wales engage with three issues:
1) That quality mental health services and resources should be available in all 22 local authority/Local Health Board areas.
2) That the Assembly should be a good advocate for mental health, engaging with the Westminster Government over legislation such as the Mental Health Bill currently making its way through Parliament.
3) That Wales needs a streamlined system for commissioning health and social services, to end the “postcode lottery” and ensure consistent care across the country.
Bill Walden-Jones, Chief Executive of Hafal, said: “By launching the Manifesto at the Assembly, all parties have been alerted to the urgent issues surrounding mental health that voters want addressed.
“We are now taking the Campaign Bus around Wales to raise awareness about these issues.”
* To read the Hafal 2007 Manifesto, click here