Mental Health: Parity of Esteem Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Wera Hobhouse
Main Page: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)Department Debates - View all Wera Hobhouse's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
Mental Health: Parity of Esteem
Wera Hobhouse Excerpts(1 month, 2 weeks ago)
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Wera Hobhouse (in the Chair)
I will call Liz Twist to move the motion and then call the Minister to respond. I remind other Members that they may make a speech only with prior permission from the Member in charge of the debate and the Minister. As is the convention in 30-minute debates, there will not be an opportunity for the Member in charge to wind up.
Liz Twist (Blaydon and Consett) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered parity of esteem between physical and mental health.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Hobhouse. In my constituency surgeries I see the devastating consequences of our failure to treat mental illness with the urgency it requires. In my role as chair of the all-party parliamentary group on suicide and self-harm prevention, I hear from young people about their experiences and the impact of waiting for treatment from mental health services. Bad mental health is routinely cited as a reason for economic stagnation, low school attendance rates and an increase in benefit claimants. Long waits for mental health support are directly linked to worsening symptoms and, tragically, to spikes in self-harm and suicide attempts.