Chamber and committees

To go back to what the convener said earlier, we should be proud that Scotland has TB-free status. Biosecurity is about being aware of how diseases spread and what practical measures can be implemented to reduce spread. I am also thinking about other bovine diseases such as Johne’s disease. TB is not the only one.

My perception is that farmers are very aware of how diseases are transmitted and what they need to do to prevent that from happening, and that isolation is part of that. What do you perceive the attitudes of farmers to be? I think that they are doing a great job and that we should be—to go back to the word that the convener used—proud of our producers in Scotland. How do you feel about that?

I, too, agree, convener.

Will the cabinet secretary give way?

You mentioned the app and the work that is being done already. I know that you will be aware that—

I thank Stephen Kerr for that intervention. I am also a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, and a nurse, and a lot of my work as a former co-convener of the cross-party group on mental health has dealt with the parity that is needed. A lot of work is going on. I support what Stephen Kerr asks for, but I know that a lot of work is under way right now, especially in the work that I am doing in the Parliament.

Less accessibility to key services such as childcare, broadband and transport links can also be a challenge. The limit to opportunities to earn adequate income, in comparison with those in urban areas, is part of the issue. I am conscious of time, Presiding Officer, but I am aware from my own casework that many issues need to be supported.

I also want to give a nod to former MSP Jim Hume and to Kira McDiarmid, from Change Mental Health, whom I welcome to the gallery.

There is so much other work that I could talk about as well. RSABI has already been highlighted. It is another fantastic charity that operates to support those in our agricultural communities.

Mental health is everyone’s business, and we must collectively work to tackle it in all our areas, including our rural areas.

The cabinet secretary will be aware that NHS Inform uses the apps and web information SilverCloud, Daylight and Sleepio. Does she agree that raising awareness of the work that is already under way can help with early interventions?

Tess White mentioned livestock worrying. It is great that we raise awareness at every opportunity about attacks on livestock. Does she agree that the changes to legislation that were made by my member’s bill will help to raise awareness so that we can reduce incidents of livestock worrying?

I congratulate Rachael Hamilton on securing this debate. It is a really important issue, and Ms Hamilton has highlighted that very well.

As an MSP who covers a large rural area—Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders—I am aware of the challenges that rurality can pose for positive mental health, but also of the benefits that it can bring. I am also aware of the increased challenges that our farming community faces, which the motion mentions. The Ukraine war and the cost crisis have added increased stress, as has leaving the European Union.

This has already been said, but it is worth repeating that the evidence shows us that people in rural Scotland are more likely than others to experience depression, suicidal thoughts and feelings, self-harming behaviour and anxiety, no matter their age, gender or location. They are at higher risk of becoming isolated, and that risk is worsened by remoteness, stigma and fear. Stigma is a huge issue and it needs to be addressed. It is therefore right that we take whatever action is possible to support the health and wellbeing of our rural communities.

Some 98 per cent of Scotland’s land mass is rural and 17 per cent of Scotland’s population lives in rural Scotland, which equates to just under 1 million people. A lack of anonymity has been identified as a barrier to people seeking help at an early stage in rural areas. Evidence from Change Mental Health, which was formerly known as Support in Mind, shows that people in rural Scotland want support to be low level and to be delivered in non-clinical, informal settings by trusted people and local networks.

Services need to be close to the place of need and should be designed to include mobile and digital services and outreach. The outreach approach must recognise the significant stress that is involved in travelling to appointments for those with poor mental health. I therefore ask the cabinet secretary whether further targeted advertising and engagement can take place across rural Scotland to promote the means through which people can access support and to promote the wider message that it is okay not to be okay.

I am aware of the research from RSABI that shows that the Scottish index of multiple deprivation struggles to identify people living in deprivation in rural areas. That can lead to some believing that living in rural Scotland is idyllic, whereas in fact deprivation and poverty exist and are becoming exacerbated there. The lowest-wage economies in Scotland are in rural areas, and nine out of 10 people who are income deprived do not live in a recognised deprived area.

Evidence suggests that people who live in rural areas experience deprivation differently from those who live in towns and cities. The particular issues in rural areas include the need for higher consumption of fuel for heating and transport. I am a member of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly’s economy committee, and our current inquiry is highlighting that the challenging cost of oil for heating is a major issue. That can contribute to poorer mental health.

You talked about the 12 pressures. Lots of variables can impact the health of farmed salmon and wild salmon, such as water temperature and algae blooms. There is no one solution to how we can address the issue of sea lice on wild salmon. In relation to the framework, does further work need to be done to strengthen any regulations?

My questions have been covered, convener.