Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy: our response
29th June 2023
SAMH responds to the publication of the Scottish Government and COSLA Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
In responding to the publication of this new strategy SAMH is disappointed that, following repeated calls over the last few years for radical changes in the mental health system, this strategy looks like one that will deliver more of the same and only small incremental improvements to the current system. We believe it is not radical enough.
Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH, said: “Despite investments made so far, there is no evidence that things have changed for people seeking help for their mental health.
“Whilst we welcome commitments to ensure that at least 10% of frontline NHS spend goes to mental health by the end of this parliament, the Scottish Government is still some distance off fulfilling its commitment. Even if this target were met, this would still leave Scotland lagging behind mental health funding for other countries across the UK and, in our view, is insufficient to deliver the radical change we believe is necessary for the people of Scotland.
“Furthermore, a strategy without a timeframe, delivery detail or measurable targets leaves no way of holding those responsible to account. To ensure the strategy has a real and genuine impact on people’s lives, it is essential that we have clarity over who is delivering what, how and when.”
In October 2021 SAMH launched its own strategy, We Won’t Wait, which draws attention to the issues in Scotland’s mental health system and that it isn’t working for many thousands of people. We continue to share stories of the many people facing endless waiting times and families who are left with nowhere to turn.
Watson concludes: “It is frustrating to have to wait again for the change we so desperately need, but we await the publication of the associated delivery plan, workforce action plan, and monitoring and evaluation framework, which we will examine closely in the hope that they fully outline the underlying detail needed to achieve the commitments made in this new strategy.”
