Health and Social Services Minister Lesley Griffiths AM has outlined her vision for mental health services in Wales.
Speaking at Hafal’s World Mental Health Day celebrations at the Senedd yesterday the Minister spoke of her determination to work closely with service users and the Third Sector during the months and years ahead.
She said: “Together we can work to ensure that our mental health services in Wales continue to develop and improve” and added that it is “vital that we remain committed to ensuring mental health services focus on the Recovery Model.”
During her speech the Minister also stated that:
• “As a Government we will continue to drive forward our manifesto commitments to ensure patients are provided with individualised care plans, that access to talking therapies are reviewed and that there is improved provision of dementia services and crisis teams.”
• “The Welsh Government is fully committed to ensuring the Measure policies are successfully delivered and we are working with service providers to this end. From next year the Measure will introduce mental health support services within primary care in all local authorities (integrated with general health services provided by General Practitioners). It will also introduce individual care and treatment plans informed and approved by service users and their carers within secondary mental health services. There will also be an entitlement to request assessment for those discharged from services and an expanded statutory advocacy scheme.”
• “We will review the operation of the Measure over the coming years. We will publish a report based on its findings four years after the relevant Measure provisions come into force. I hope that our commitment to publish a report on our conclusion also demonstrates our willingness to continually seek better ways of working.”
• “Over the coming months my officials will be undertaking further public consultations on guidance and regulations which we are introducing to support the operation of the Measure and I’m sure you will all be involved in that process.”
Commenting on the Minister’s speech Hafal Chair Elin Jones told those at the event: “It’s a great pleasure for me to say thank you very much for those very encouraging words, Minister. Many of us here today know from personal experience of the difficulties, the loneliness, the sense of shame and fear that comes from serious mental illness and we are so proud of what can be done to move things forward. Hafal looks forward to working with you, thank you so much for your support, it’s really appreciated.”
To view the Minister speech in full please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GQqsGvNB9c
For more information on Hafal’s World Mental Health Day celebrations please visit: http://www.hafal.org/hafal/news.php?id=202