Question reference: S5W-32935
- Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 2 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 13 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what longer-term provisions are being put in place to respond to the reported increase in demand for mental health services in rural areas.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the additional pressure that the pandemic and restrictions place upon individuals and families and is committed to providing clear, comprehensive and accessible support for mental health. The needs of rural areas are taken into account in our response to the pandemic and our plan for recovery.
For example, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic we have provided a range of funding to support mental health, including :
- Expansion of the NHS24 Mental Health Hub phoneline so that it is now available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
- increasing the capacity of the Breathing Space telephone helpline and web support service;
- increasing capacity for Computerised Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
- supporting territorial health boards to scale up the use of ‘Near Me’ video consultation: mental health services have seen some of the biggest uptake of this service.
We have also expanded the Distress Brief Intervention (DBI) programme into a nationwide response for people in distress.
Further advice and support for mental health is available through the NHSInform and Clear Your Head websites, which have information on practical tips, resources, and services to support mental health and wellbeing.
In October we launched our COVID-19 Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan which outlines our continuing response to the mental health impacts of COVID-19. It lays out key areas of mental health need that have arisen as a result of coronavirus and necessary restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. It sets out the actions that we will take with partner organisations to respond to those needs.
The Plan recognises the challenges of rural isolation, and includes an action to work with the National Rural mental Health Forum to develop an approach to ensure that these communities have equal and timely access to mental health support and services, including consideration of whether dedicated pathways are needed. The Plan also recognises the need to support territorial boards to maximise the benefits of digital services for rural communities. We have been working closely with all territorial boards during this period to plan the recovery of services across Scotland.