A LOCAL Assemblyman has called for ‘immediate and quicker’ access to counselling services for local residents suffering from mental health issues.
Independent Unionist Alex Easton said the mental health of North Down’s residents was a ‘priority’ for him as an elected representative.
Mr Easton stated he had compiled a plan to improve mental health services that would ‘narrow the funding gap’ between physical and mental health services.
Some of the measures included in the Assemblyman’s plan are providing more community psychiatry services, enhanced regional perinatal mental health services and immediate access to counselling services in a private setting.
Stressing the need for action, Mr Easton said: “Northern Ireland has higher rates of self-harm and 25% more mental health problems than the rest of the UK. That is why it is a priority for me as an MLA.”
He welcomed the ‘extra funding of £10m per year for five years to be targeted at improving our mental health services’ that had been announced back in 2021 but said ‘this is not enough’.
Voicing his frustration at the lack of action following the most recent collapse of Stormont, Mr Easton said: “That money is being used and making a difference but we could have done so much more had there been a local Health Minister driving forward change over the past two years, instead of politicians talking about change.
“It’s time for delivery and action. We need talking therapies, and drug and alcohol misuse help urgently, and a real bugbear for me is access to counselling services which does not take weeks or months – we should be making use of independent counselling services to make up the shortfall.”
Mr Easton said: “To make a difference in mental health, funding new mental health workers in primary care for example must be a priority. I want to see more child and adolescent specialist support within these multidisciplinary teams and I want to see free access to gyms for a month for those suffering from mental health issues.
“Mental ill-health is impacting families in every street. There is a legacy from the Troubles, also carried forward amongst today’s generation, which we must address.”
Mr Easton went on to say: “In my plan, I am committed to working towards narrowing the gap between the funding of physical health services and mental health. I want to see a more preventative approach by building resilience and focusing on coping skills.
“I have a range of proposals to improve mental health services by providing more community psychiatry services, enhanced regional perinatal mental health services and better preventative work in schools.
“I also want to see the full implementation of the Mental Capacity Act permitting individuals to make their own decisions.”
Concluding, Mr Easton said: “We can only deliver certain changes for mental services, with real fundamental change being the preserve of a local Minister, but it’s time for less talk and more action for our people.
“It is high time others recognised that their narrow party political wish list is not more important than the delivery of mental health and other key services for all the people of Northern Ireland.”
