Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to support the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of mental health specialists in High Peak constituency.

People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, which is why we will ensure we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. As set out in the NHS Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance for 2024/25, NHS England is continuing to expand access to mental health services, to increase the number of people accessing mental health support. We plan to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers across child and adult mental health services in England, including in the High Peak constituency, to reduce delays and provide faster treatment.