Mental Health: Weight and Shape-related Bullying Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health: Weight and Shape-related Bullying

Lord Laming Excerpts
Monday 22nd July 2019

(5 years, 3 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Laming Portrait Lord Laming (CB)
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My Lords, does the Minister agree that in recent years there has been a marked reduction in mental health counselling services for young people? Can the Minister tell us anything encouraging about the redevelopment of specialist mental health services for young people?

Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford Portrait Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
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The noble Lord is absolutely right that we must make sure we invest in the services needed to respond to the increasing reports of mental ill heath in young people. That is why we have focused on increasing mental health funding. I am pleased to report that the amount spent on mental health will be £12 billion in the next year and that all CCGs will meet the mental health investment standard. We are also investing in particular in suicide prevention over the next three years—£25 million to support local suicide prevention plans to make sure that local authorities are able to have a multiagency suicide prevention response, which I think the noble Lord will agree is extremely important.