Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will implement a national youth health strategy to reduce mortality in people under 39 that includes (a) mental health conditions and (b) sudden cardiac death.

The Government is already taking action to improve the physical and mental health of young people. The Government is co-producing a National Youth Strategy which will set out a long-term vision for young people, aged 10 to 21 years old, and up to 25 years old for those with special educational needs and disabilities, and provide them with meaningful choices and chances.

The 10-Year Health Plan to reform the National Health Service will make it fit for the future and better support children, young people, and adults. The Government is committed to taking a cross-Government strategic approach to children and young people’s mental health, and will recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff by the end of the Parliament and will expand mental health support teams in schools in England.

NHS England is currently working with a range of stakeholders to review the national service specification for inherited cardiac conditions. This will support patients who often present as young adults with a previously undiagnosed cardiac disease, or families requiring follow up due to a death from this cause, including sudden cardiac death. The service specification can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cardiology-inherited-cardiac-conditions.pdf

There are no current plans to implement a national youth health strategy.