See Me Campaign
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S3M-6705, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on the see me campaign. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament considers that the see me campaign has made a significant contribution in tackling the stigma and discrimination associated with mental health problems; further notes that it is estimated that as many as one in four Scots will experience some form of mental health problem and that more than half of those with such conditions have experienced stigma or discrimination; recognises that the stigma associated with mental health problems can be more distressing and damaging than the symptoms of the condition itself; believes that it will take a generation to effect lasting change in society, and would welcome continued support for the see me campaign in Dumbarton and across the rest of Scotland.
17:02
I am grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness of the see me campaign, which is Scotland’s national programme aimed at ending the stigma and discrimination attached to mental illness. In doing so, I hope to build on the cross-party consensus that has characterised consideration of the issue in previous years. I recognise that all members take seriously our responsibility to improve awareness of mental health.
One in four Scots experiences some kind of mental health problem in their lifetime, and more than half of those who do have experienced some form of discrimination or stigma relating to their mental health. Despite affecting many of us, mental illness is commonly misunderstood, sidelined and stigmatised. It is important to make clear and normalise the idea that people who suffer from a mental illness should be treated with the same dignity and respect with which those who suffer from physical problems are treated. The Parliament must do its utmost to support initiatives such as the see me campaign that seek to redress the balance and challenge attitudes to mental illness.
Since the see me campaign was launched in 2002 by my esteemed colleague Malcolm Chisholm, it has worked effectively to challenge attitudes to mental illness. A recent Scottish Government survey revealed a 10 per cent drop in people saying that they would not want anybody to know if they developed a mental health problem. Some 61 per cent of people with experience of mental health problems have said that they feel more able to be open about their illness than they did five years ago, and 63 per cent of the same sample thought that the see me campaign had improved media reporting of people with mental health problems. I genuinely think that the campaign has much to be proud of, although it is clear that more needs to be done.
It is not in question that mental illness in Scotland is associated with stigma and discrimination, but members need not take it from me—let me share the experience of Paul from Arbroath. He says:
“I found it difficult to apply for jobs and I only got one or two interviews. I think it was because I was open about my mental health problems on applications. I was just 20 years old when my consultant psychiatrist told me I would never work again. It is soul destroying to be told by a professional, someone I looked up to and who was there to help, that you won’t work or achieve anything in life.”
It is clear from that sobering quote that it is crucial to the self-worth and self-perception of people who are suffering from mental illness that those around them, including those who are in direct support roles, understand and adopt helpful and well-informed attitudes in relation to their condition.
Mental illness has become an unacceptable and unnecessary barrier to social interaction and employment in Scotland. I commend to members the forthcoming dismissed? campaign that the Scottish Association for Mental Health will undertake during mental health awareness week, which will highlight issues surrounding fairness and employability for those who suffer from mental illness.
The see me campaign believes that it will take a generation to effect lasting change in our society, as I am sure do others. However, I recognise that, in a period of economic difficulty and recovery from recession, we can expect that people’s mental wellbeing will be under further strain. We must therefore be clear about ensuring that there are sufficient resources for support services.
Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the breathing space helpline, which is based in NHS 24 and is for those who are coping with mental health problems. I was hugely impressed by the calibre of the staff and the quality of the work that they undertake. In the past few years, the helpline has experienced a steadily increasing volume of calls. Between 2009-10 and 2010-11, the number of calls that it handles has already increased by a third, and it is getting higher. Although the response rate is good, the helpline is clearly experiencing demand that is increasing at a faster rate than its funding and resources can match. A few calls go unanswered, but the performance overall is very good. I regard that as a success story.
Local authorities also face challenges, and some face difficult decisions about services. I, and I am sure other members, have heard of changes such as zero hours contracts for mental health workers, which lead to a lack of continuity of care and support for their clients. We are also beginning to see a reduction in some services in one or two areas at a time when increasing numbers of people are experiencing mental health problems. I am sure that the desire to ensure that there is an adequate level of support for people with mental illness is shared by the Government and by everybody in the Parliament.
In Scotland, the costs associated with mental health problems are high. According to see me, we spend about £1,520 million on health and social care each year, and £2,378 million is the cost to the Scottish economy of mental health problems. According to studies in New Zealand, every dollar that is spent on reducing the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness saves the country $13. It therefore makes sense for us to continue to invest.
I am conscious that the Government has a health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment—HEAT—target on reducing the use of antidepressants. We support that target. Frankly, antidepressants need to be the last resort for anybody who is prescribing. However, despite that commitment, there was a 7 per cent increase in prescribing last year, and a 4 per cent increase the year before. We need to understand why that happened and whether it is down to increased numbers or whether general practitioners are prescribing more than they used to. Equally, we need to ensure that alternative treatments and therapies are available. When I visited NHS 24, I saw a new project that is designed to provide support by telephone to people in, I think, at least five health board areas. I commend that to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing for roll-out across the country. It is certainly an essential service, and people are accessing it.
I am delighted to support the see me campaign in its continuing efforts to fight the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental illness. I hope that this debate provides one opportunity to raise awareness of those important issues and to renew our support for the continuing challenges to that stigma and discrimination.
We move to the debate. Speeches should be four minutes. I call Anne McLaughlin, to be followed by Marlyn Glen.
17:10
I congratulate Jackie Baillie on beating me to it and securing this debate. I will speak very quickly, because I thought I had six minutes.
When I was elected last year, I said that one of the things I really wanted to work on was mental health, particularly reducing the stigma around mental health issues. I like to think that I would have done so regardless of my background, but coming as I do from a family of psychiatric nurses and a family with its own experiences of the other side of mental health problems, I have a keen interest in and, I hope, a good understanding of mental health issues.
When I was thinking about what to say today, I hesitated to say that I have family members who have experienced mental illness. I hesitated for the very reason we are here debating this motion: there is still a huge stigma, and anyone who admits to having mental health problems takes a risk.
Reading through the report from see me, it seems to me that the stigma is reducing and there is lots of good news. People feel more able to be open about having mental health problems. In 2002, 51 per cent of people said that they would not want people to know, but a recent survey showed that that figure has reduced to 41 per cent. So, nearly two thirds of people would be willing to tell others that they had been diagnosed with a mental health problem, which is good news and testament to the work of see me.
However, we are not there yet. See me is right when it says that it will take a generation to shift attitudes. We are not there yet, because although I will willingly say that some of my family members have had mental problems and I will even say what those problems were, I will not say who those family members are, because I feel the need to protect them from those who would discriminate and those who would stigmatise. We are not there yet, because I will not say whether I was one of them. For all that anyone listening to this debate knows, I might have suffered from depression in the past. I might have been suicidal. I might even be standing here today as someone who has a diagnosis of schizophrenia. So might any of us. That is the problem. Until more ordinary people from all walks of life are willing to stand up and say, “I’m the guy who delivers your post”—or “I’m the guy who advises you on your health”—“and I have or have had a mental health problem, but I’m still me”, the stigma will not go away.
Until the stigma goes away, people will not be willing to put their head above the parapet. That is the crucial thing about the see me campaign. It gets across probably the best-known facts about mental health problems but also the least-believed fact: that one in four of us can have them and they can still happen to anybody.
I might not have been diagnosed with an enduring mental illness such as schizophrenia—I say “might not” because it would really defeat the purpose of what we are debating today if I chickened out and felt the need to reassure everyone that I had not—but that does not mean that I will not be. I have no way of knowing; none of us here does.
My parents were both psychiatric nurses and they cleverly ensured that if I had ever been tempted as a teenager to accept an offer of illegal drugs, I would have been too terrified to give into that temptation. They told me the story of Fiona, a stunningly beautiful girl who had the world at her feet and was set to realise her dream of going to medical school. I am making her sound like a fictional character, but she was not, because I knew her—although I have changed her name. The world was her oyster until she took a hallucinogenic substance that sparked off a latent psychosis. Fast forward 30 years and she has just managed to get out of a locked ward and is being assisted to live in a supported tenancy. No medical school for her; no nights out with her friends; no graduation ceremony; no peace of mind; no glittering career; and no life until now. She has had 30 years of a particularly aggressive form of paranoid schizophrenia that could have lain dormant all her life. It could be lying dormant in any of us right now and we would not have to take illegal substances to spark it off—many things can spark it off. That makes us no different from Fiona. It makes us just as susceptible to the terrible stigma that has plagued her life.
We can all suffer from depression. I am quite sure that we have all suffered at least a temporary depression, such as when somebody has died. The problem occurs when that depression is not short term and will not go away, no matter how hard someone tries.
A number of years ago, I spoke at a conference and told the tale of two princesses who had lost their hair—the princesses of pop, Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears. The press, and therefore we, were sympathetic to Kylie because, after all, it was not her fault—the chemo for the breast cancer caused her hair loss. But it was not Britney’s fault that she became ill, either. I do not know what her condition was, but it was clear that she had a mental health problem, which was somehow considered to make the situation her fault. I know that the press, and therefore we, were singularly unsympathetic to her, so I am glad that the see me campaign works with journalists on the reporting of mental ill health. The newspapers that reported, ridiculed and attacked Britney’s every move as she struggled to cope with her mental illness will no doubt have carried worthy articles about how we need to reduce the stigma of mental ill health. When the press and the media put those fine words into practice in all their reporting, the shift that we need badly will have taken place.
17:15
I add my thanks to Jackie Baillie for securing the debate to recognise that the see me campaign has made a significant contribution to tackling the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental health problems. The debate is well timed, as next week is mental health awareness week.
We are aware that one in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some time in our lives and that a massive three quarters of us know someone who has a mental health problem. Despite that, many people with mental ill health—81 per cent—told see me that they had experienced stigma. People with mental ill health are less likely to be employed and are more likely to experience harassment.
We should be especially concerned that stigma exists in employment. Only 21 per cent of people with long-term mental health problems have a job. It is most concerning that few employers—only 30 per cent—are willing to recruit someone who has a mental health problem. We need to look carefully at the fact that one in 10 employers has withdrawn a job offer because an applicant lied about or misrepresented their health situation on a health screening questionnaire. For the same reason, 7 per cent of employers have dismissed an employee.
It is understandable that people try to protect themselves from the stigma, because they lose out as a result of it. How can people be encouraged into work when even admitting to suffering from occasional depression could jeopardise their chances? As a result, I look forward to the launch of SAMH’s dismissed? campaign, which will campaign for fairness in relation to mental health and employability. From claiming benefits to which people are entitled when they are sick or disabled to applying for, getting and keeping a job, people with mental health problems are disadvantaged in employability. I strongly support SAMH’s campaign.
As has been said, see me was launched in October 2002 as part of the Scottish Executive’s national programme for improving mental health and wellbeing. Its work has included national publicity campaigns, campaigns that are aimed at specific groups or environments, work with the media and support for local activities. See me’s approach focuses on awareness, prevention and direct action and targets environments such as the workplace and public services. I commend the recent launch of BT’s mental health service and the Scottish Parliament’s counselling service.
Under the campaign, it has become increasingly unacceptable to use derogatory terms or negative storylines about mental health or people with mental health problems, but there is still a long way to go. It is unfortunate that some newspapers still occasionally carry lurid stories that misuse psychiatric terms, for example, to describe people. It is up to each of us to challenge such unacceptable activities.
As it is recognised that effecting lasting change might take a whole generation, it is essential to measure the campaign’s outcomes in the long term and to continue to fund the campaign with that in mind. That applies particularly because the funding statistics from New Zealand that Jackie Baillie mentioned showed that every dollar spent there on reducing the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental illness saved about $13, which is an amazing return.
I will mention quickly see me activities that have taken place in Dundee with the continuing support of Dundee Voluntary Action, which include a photographic competition that was linked to world mental health day. I am pleased to note that Dundee street poet Gary Robertson has signed up to be the poetry judge for the see me creative writing competition this year.
I trust that the campaign will continue throughout Scotland and that we will see signs of a lasting change in society even sooner than we hoped.
17:19
I, too, congratulate Jackie Baillie on securing tonight’s debate. I also thank members of all parties who signed my motion on mental health awareness week, which runs next week.
As Jackie Baillie said, one in four people in Scotland will experience some form of mental health problem. More than 30 per cent of GP visits in Scotland are for mental health issues. We must discuss mental health: we must discuss the causes, how it affects the patient, how to deal with it, and how it affects families and friends. We all could do with a bit more advice on how to talk to people about their depression or other mental health problems and the effect that mental health issues have on employment. We all have to be bolder in that respect.
The see me campaign, which aims to end the stigma and discrimination that is associated with mental health, deserves every accolade that it has been awarded and more. While everyone accepts that work is still to be done, the difference that see me has made since it was launched in 2002 is significant. The results from this year’s hear me 2 survey showed that 61 per cent of people who have experienced mental health problems now feel more able to be more open about their illness than they were five years ago. Also, when social attitudes in Scotland towards mental health are compared with those of the UK as a whole, it is obvious that the plaudits that this campaign has attracted are well deserved. A recent YouGov survey showed that, on a UK basis, employers rejected someone with a mental illness in 33 per cent of cases whereas, in Scotland, the rejection rate was 24 per cent. We can all agree that the figure is still too high, but the difference is clear.
There is still some way to go before we eradicate the stigma, but it is clear that attitudes to mental health issues in Scotland are changing. When people talk about mental health, they tend always to talk about schizophrenia and yet the majority of people with mental health issues suffer from stress, anxiety, low mood and depression. As Anne McLaughlin said, people can suffer in that way at times of bereavement and so forth. Mental health issues are a normal part of everyday life and yet many people do not discuss the issues. People not only feel the stigma but believe that their career opportunities may be jeopardised if they should say that they are depressed.
Jackie Baillie mentioned the NHS 24 cognitive behavioural therapy pilot that delivers telephone support to people in their own home to help them self-manage their condition, understand the triggers that bring them down and provide coping mechanisms to get them back up again. I have seen an interim report on the pilot and am sure that with earlier diagnosis, referral and early intervention the figure can be improved greatly. After all, the treatment is being delivered in the wholly unstigmatised manner and setting of a person’s home and not in what is often perceived as an institutional setting.
I am in no doubt that 99.9 per cent of those who work in the health service exhibit no stigma towards patients with mental health issues. That said, I cannot ignore the fact that attitudes in the health service to mental health have been raised with us in the past. People feel that NHS staff could be more compassionate and understanding of mental health issues.
It is right that we should praise the work that is being done to reduce the stigma that is associated with mental illness, but we all have to look at how we can improve things further. This is not only about see me and patients with mental health illnesses, it is an issue for everyone. We all—family members, work colleagues and friends—have a role to play. The stigma will finally be lost only when we all understand the complexities of mental health issues and how widespread they are. I am pleased to contribute to the debate.
17:24
Jackie Baillie is to be commended for allowing the Parliament the opportunity to put on record our support for the see me campaign and to raise some of our worries about on-going issues around mental health in Scotland.
In a way, the debate shows up one of the weaknesses of the Parliament—consider when we are debating it and the number of MSPs involved. This comment is not directed at any one party, but is it beyond our collective wit to take part of the Government’s time for its debates to address issues such as this, rather than some of the nonsense that we debate to very little purpose? If we did that, members such as Anne McLaughlin would be able to put on record what I thought was a very human and a very pertinent contribution about the issues surrounding mental health. It is a shame that we do not accord issues such as this more status in the Parliament; we should not leave them to members’ business debates at the tail end of the day.
Other members have eloquently highlighted the fact that mental health problems do not affect just a small number of people in the community—they can affect anyone, irrespective of social background, status or economic circumstances. Probably all of us have friends or family who have suffered mental health problems. We have probably struggled to cope, frankly, with what it has meant. It manifests itself in different ways. Suddenly, the person behaves differently. That can be stressful. We do not know whether to distance ourselves or get closer—many of us just do not know how to cope and how to respond. That in turn makes the person involved feel more awkward and can drive them into further isolation.
It is heartbreaking to see someone going through severe mental health problems. Dealing with constituents asking for help, and perhaps complaining about doctors, can be heartbreaking. One constituent spoke to me about their son. They spoke about their frustration: they wanted to talk to the doctor but the doctor—understandably—cited issues of confidentiality. Their son was an adult, and there were things about the son’s illness that the doctor could not disclose. That illness sometimes manifested itself in aggressive and violent behaviour. My constituent was at their wit’s end trying to get the help and support they needed to assist their son. Help would kick in only when their son was arrested, but it should not have been necessary to get to that point—earlier intervention could have made a difference. Mental health still poses major problems and challenges for us.
Antidepressants have been mentioned. The Public Audit Committee recently commented on the prescribing of antidepressants, which is inconsistent across the country. That is something we should reflect on. We should see what more can be done either to avoid antidepressants being prescribed inappropriately or to support people to come off them when that is the right thing, rather than just leaving people on antidepressants because it is easier for society to cope with people if they are being medicated.
There are some good organisations in the community. I put on record some of the commendable work that happens in my area and across Scotland. Specifically, I can mention the Renfrewshire Association for Mental Health, which is a first-class organisation that does a lot of good work. It is involved in the Scottish mental health arts and film festival across Renfrewshire during the month of October, when some imaginative and exciting events are held. The association has produced a directory of mental health services in Renfrewshire. The festival includes a see me photography competition. RAMH is branching out its work across the Clyde into Jackie Baillie’s area—it is developing youth counselling services in schools in West Dunbartonshire. Last year, that service supported 204 young people in secondary schools. RAMH received a near-perfect score from a recent inspection by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care. There are good things happening.
The worry that RAMH and others have is that the funding situation is beginning to impact severely on the work of voluntary organisations. We could face real problems if organisations such as RAMH suffer because of a lack of funding. We need to support the very commendable work that the voluntary sector in Scotland is doing in this regard.
17:29
I, too, congratulate Jackie Baillie on bringing this important debate to the Parliament. Even more, I congratulate the see me campaign on all its work during the past eight years to fight the stigma and discrimination that have, for centuries, been associated with mental ill health and which make mental health problems so much worse than they already are. It is appropriate to pay particular tribute to Linda Dunion, who was the campaign’s first director and who led and championed it for many years. She has been ably succeeded by Suzie Vestri.
Members talked about the successes that can be attributed to the campaign. More people are open about mental health problems and there has been improvement in some of the media handling of the issue. However, we know that we still have a long way to go to spread understanding of mental ill health and encourage the empathy that is so often lacking.
Like Hugh Henry, I mention Anne McLaughlin’s speech. It was exceptional in its totality, but I pick out what she said towards the end about fault, which goes near to the heart of the problem. Historically, many people have regarded people with mental health problems as being at fault and somehow to blame. If that attitude can be undermined, that will be an important step forward, and the see me campaign has contributed to that.
However, there are no grounds for complacency. I welcome SAMH’s new campaign, dismissed, which highlights the seriousness of the problem. At a time when people are looking to reduce the workforce in all sorts of areas, there is a danger that employers might regard people with mental health problems as easier to lay off. We must be careful in relation to employment, so I welcome the campaign.
A related issue is benefit changes. Many people with mental health problems are worried that they might not be regarded as having a genuine problem. Problems to do with people’s potential to take up employment, which can be obvious and apparent in people who have physical disabilities, are just as real for people with mental health problems, in some cases.
The campaign can be seen as being part of two wider movements. First, it was part of a big initiative on mental health improvement, which was led by Gregor Henderson in the early years of the Parliament. Campaigns such as the one on suicide prevention and many other initiatives, such as mental health first aid and the Scottish recovery network, developed as part of the mental health improvement initiative. I always think that it is unfortunate that, in all the excellent work that the Parliament has done on health improvement, some of which is recognised far afield, the mental health improvement work has not been generally recognised. It is appropriate to set the see me campaign in that context.
The other context is the wider mental health users movement. The key thing about see me is to treat people with mental health problems with dignity and respect. The idea of allowing people with mental health problems to be involved in decisions about their care and to be listened to with respect in relation to their care is important. That should be acknowledged.
I have a particular interest in the matter this week because, on Friday, “Oor Mad History: A Community History of the Lothian Mental Health Service User Movement” is being launched in my constituency. I was honoured to be asked to write a foreword and I will speak at the launch. I am certainly aware from the work that people have done in Lothian that significant progress has been made on the wider front in relation to respecting people with mental health problems. It is appropriate to mention that and to see the see me campaign as part of a wider movement for change and improvement.
17:34
I thank Jackie Baillie for securing the debate, which has been extremely important. There have been some very good speeches, and like other members I single out Anne McLaughlin’s speech, which was particularly powerful and, as Hugh Henry said, particularly human in its content.
I agree absolutely that the see me campaign has made a huge contribution to tackling the stigma and discrimination that are associated with mental ill health. It is unique in Scotland, but we should also recognise that it was the first campaign of its kind anywhere in the world.
The statistic is often quoted—and was quoted by several members—that one person in four will experience mental health problems. It is a powerful statistic, but what lies behind it is even more powerful. It adds up to an awful lot of people who need others—their family, friends, colleagues, health professionals and people in the community—to support them and show understanding of the issues that they face, not judge them on preconceived notions of mental ill health. The see me campaign’s role is to help people develop that understanding and acceptance, not by preaching to them or nagging them to change their ways but by educating and gradually influencing a culture change.
In many ways, stigma can be more distressing than the symptoms of mental ill health themselves. Others have mentioned the valuable research that see me carried out, which goes a long way to helping us to understand people’s experience of stigma and discrimination. The research tells us that 85 per cent of people feel more able to be open about their experiences of mental illness than in the past, but it also tells us that they are still likely to face stigma when they disclose it. People are most likely to experience stigma and discrimination with friends and family, in the local communities, at work and when accessing health services—I agree with the point that Mary Scanlon made about the need for compassion and understanding in the health service. In other words, people are more likely to experience stigma in the areas of life in which they most need support.
The research also shows that, when it comes to stigma, not all mental illnesses are equal. Illnesses that are perceived as less common, more severe and more difficult to understand—such as personality disorder or schizophrenia—are even more stigmatised than the less threatening illnesses, such as depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. In addition, it exposes the extent of self-stigma, to which Anne McLaughlin alluded. The fear of experiencing stigma colours the way that people with mental health problems see themselves and often leads them to self-impose restrictions on their activity that, in effect, prevent them from living their lives to the full.
The see me campaign’s work to build up relationships with the media has been mentioned. Over the years, it has built up very good relationships and done a great deal to educate and influence the media about the use of positive reporting and appropriate language.
Jackie Baillie made the point that the campaign has been built on the premise that it takes a generation to effect real and lasting change in attitudes. Its first priority has been to raise awareness of the existence and impact of stigma and discrimination. Only once that awareness is lodged in the public consciousness can the campaign move through the phases of demystification, informing, creating understanding, enabling acceptance, inclusion and networking, finally reaching the ideal state of a stigmaless equality for people who experience mental health problems.
In addition to its high-profile national work, see me is aware of the need to sustain local activity. Its local work throughout the country has been taking root recently. That work brings together supporters, activists and groups through regional meetings, which have been popular, with the aim of encouraging collaborative action.
Like other members, I acknowledge the moving and human speech from Anne McLaughlin.
On local campaigns, I attended a see me pledge-signing ceremony in Orkney early in the summer. It was full of individuals who had been going about their lives and been struck with a mental illness almost out of the blue—as in many of the examples that Anne McLaughlin gave—but the focus was on Orkney Islands Council, NHS Orkney and the public sector. What has the public sector’s track record been on addressing stigma, particularly in employment? As we move into a difficult phase for public finances, what role does the cabinet secretary expect the public sector to continue playing in addressing stigma?
I will come on to talk about see me in the wider picture, but I will respond quickly to that question. Historically, the public sector’s role has not been what we would want it to be. It is improving, but there is still work to do. As was mentioned, the financial climate in which we live increases the demand on services that deal with mental health, and we must ensure that that is recognised.
The see me campaign does not exist in isolation; it is part of a bigger picture of mental health improvement in Scotland. We have heard today about NHS 24’s breathing space service and the cognitive behavioural therapy services. There are also strong links between the see me campaign and the recovery agenda. One of the frequently encountered aspects of stigmatisation is the misconception that people do not get better, when we know that people can and do recover from even the most serious and long-term mental health problems. The see me campaign cultivates strong links with the Scottish recovery network, which is extremely important. The work it does also goes hand in hand with many elements of the choose life strategy to prevent suicide, which is another extremely important priority for us.
Health improvement and social inclusion are core priorities of this Government and of parties across the chamber. We must recognise that the physical and mental health and wellbeing of people in Scotland are a matter not just for the health sector. We need to take a much more integrated approach if we are genuinely to improve people’s health.
It is important to underline the point that Anne McLaughlin powerfully illustrated, which was that, although any of us can experience mental health problems—we do not know whether we will be in that position—we must also recognise that the most disadvantaged in society are most at risk, which means that there is a need to see the issue in social inclusion terms as well.
The see me campaign thoroughly deserves the congratulations and credit that it has received today. It is one strand of a range of actions that is under way to address the many issues that have been raised by members today. It has given us a useful opportunity to debate these matters. I acknowledge Hugh Henry’s point about the need to mainstream debates on this subject into the parliamentary agenda. I believe that the Parliament has debated mental health issues on many occasions, but if there is a willingness on the part of other parties to hold a debate on this subject within the normal parliamentary agenda, I am sure—without wishing to pre-empt the work of the Parliamentary Bureau—that there will be a willingness on the part of the Government to ensure that that happens.
Meeting closed at 17:42.