Green Party Conference 2016

30th November 2016

Blog by Craig Smith, SAMH Public Affairs Officer

After our very successful fringe at the SNP conference last weekend, the team is continuing our autumn conference roadshow up to Perth to talk to the Greens.

We are hosting a fringe at lunchtime on Sunday and are delighted that Alison Johnstone MSP, spokesperson for Health & Sport, Social Security, Children & Young People, will be attending.

2016 is a very big year for mental health with the next mental health strategy due to be published in December. SAMH is determined to see our Ask Once Get Help Fast approach made a reality and we are continuing to campaign on our #AskOnce manifesto which was shaped by over 700 voices, setting out changes we think can transform mental health in Scotland for the better.

We were very happy to see how highly mental health featured in all the political parties election campaigns including the Greens. It was great to see the Greens Manifesto call for parity of esteem between psychical and mental health; support for the Rights for Life Declaration of Rights for Mental Health; and ‘call for more resources and professional training to meet the needs of people facing financial deprivation, LGBTI+ people, disabled people, and young people and other groups that often suffer poor mental health.’ We are looking forward to exploring all these issues with Alison at the fringe.

If you are in at the conference please pop by the fringe and for everyone else, follow the action on twitter @SAMHtweets #AskOnce for live updates.