Labour's Highland and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant acknowledges Mental Health Awareness Week on the same day that she took the oath in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament and within a week of being elected – the move came after concerns were raised over the number of suicides in Caithness
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Highland and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant is delighted to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Week as one of her first acts in the new term of the Scottish Parliament.
She lodged a motion yesterday marking the week – it was on the same day Mrs Grant took the oath in the parliamentary chamber – she lodged a motion which highlighted the campaigns that Mental Health UK and Mind are undertaking this year to mark the week.
Her motion also noted that the coronavirus pandemic has put pressure on NHS services and charitable services.
Mrs Grant has been campaigning for better adult and child mental health services across the Highlands and after she received appeals from local people last year who were worried about the number of suicides in Caithness.
She said: “Although a small general gesture, I want to signify how important this issue is to me and how it will be a priority of mine in this new parliamentary term.
“There is to be an injection of funding for children and young people's services through Highland Council, but we have a long way to go to fill the gaps that exist, especially for adult mental health services.
“I’m currently trying to arrange a meeting with NHS Highland on adult services with community representatives in Caithness and I hope that, moving forward, better services will come to the region as a whole.”
Mental Health UK is asking the public to immerse themselves in the "5 Ways to Wellbeing" while also reconnecting with nature while the UK wide charity Mind is asking people to take to social media and describe why they are fighting for mental health, to help create a movement for change.
