Members of East Cheshire Mental Health Forum invited local MP, David Rutley, to their Annual General Meeting recently, to discuss local mental health service provision and the importance of promoting mental and emotional wellbeing for younger people, alongside representatives from Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Trust (CWP) and the local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).
David was pleased to learn from the Cheshire CCGs that Cheshire has been successful in receiving an extra £75,000 funding from the Government’s Trailblazer programme, to help build upon the Emotionally Healthy Schools programme. The programme, led on by CWP and supported by Cheshire East Council, local schools and the CCGs, and much-valued charities Just Drop In and Visyon, focuses on helping teaching staff to more fully meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of their students.
David also discussed other suggestions with CWP, CCG, local authority and Forum members, about how to more effectively signpost young people who are experiencing mental health challenges to the support services that they need. He highlighted how a clearer 'services map' could assist local young people from the LGBTQ+ community with any emotional or mental health issues that they may be experiencing, following discussions with school students at recent meetings.
At the meeting, which took place shortly after World Mental Health Day on 10th October, David and the Forum also reviewed the positive progress being made by CWP to keep important adult mental health beds in Macclesfield. Work is already underway on renovating the Complex Assessment and Recovery Service Ward (CARS) at Macclesfield District General Hospital and Lime Walk House. At the former, it is planned that there will be 15 beds set aside for people with dementia and 26 beds for inpatient use for adults and older people with serious mental ill health at the latter. Having campaigned for many months to keep these important beds in Macclesfield, David was pleased to learn that the works remain on track.
Speaking after the meeting, David said, "With more and more young people using social media, and the pressures that this comes with, supporting young people's mental health and wellbeing remains a vital priority. I was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss these issues with East Cheshire Mental Health Forum, which works so hard locally to be an advocate for local patients, and with Cheshire & Wirral Partnership. I will continue to press for action on these important matters going forward."