Westminster Report

Leigh On Sea News: Westminster Report – BY David Burton-Sampson MP for Southend West & Leigh.
It has been busier than ever in my new role supporting ministers in the Department of Health.
As I have talked about before, we need to put an equal emphasis on mental health and physical health.
In the summer sunshine it is harder to imagine than in the depressing days of winter but mental health issues can strike at any time.
The figures are stark. Roughly one in five people have a common mental health condition, like anxiety and depression, at any given time. The figure is noticeably higher for young people, affecting one in four of 16 – 24-year-olds.
The government is determined to deliver parity in its Mental Health Strategy and move away from simply a crisis response, to earlier treatment and faster support.
So, I welcomed the announcement that Labour is rolling out Mental Health Support Teams across all of our schools. We promised more mental health support in schools, so any child who needs help can get it and our Plan for Change is delivering on that promise.
The teams will help identify children who need support, run sessions in schools and provide one to one mentoring. I know this is an important issue for young people and parents alike in Southend West and Leigh because they have shared with the real life experiences of how challenging mental health in the family can be.
This government is making good on the changes we promised, so children get the best start because poor mental health blights children’s life chances.
As young people navigate the pressures of school and growing up, having the right support around them is crucial — which is why I am proud that that so many children here will be able access a mental health expert in their school.
Poor mental health is a major barrier – holding young people back. This reflects the recent findings in the Milburn Review, which shows poor mental health affects education, employment and training.
By bringing support into ours schools, we are breaking the cycle – ensuring children get the right support at the right time. For too long, too many children have been let down and we are changing that .
These teams are giving children the tools to manage life’s challenges, stay in schools and achieve and the evidence shows it is working. That is how we break down barriers, so every young person no matter their background, can get the most out of their education.
This builds on the recruitment of an additional 8,500 mental health support workers since June 2024, part of Labour’s 10 Year Health Plan to deliver more mental health care in the community.
I have been named as a men’s mental health champion in parliament and have been highlighting men’s mental health, organising Walk and Talks with suicide prevention charity, Andy’s Man Club.
It is a terrible fact that male suicide is the leading cause of death among men under 54. Unfortunately, it is an issue that I personally, have been affected by, losing a dear friend to suicide in recent years.
Men tend to access support later or not at all and are underserved by current services, which is why I am so pleased to see early intervention as part of the Men’s Health Strategy.
The NHS Modernisation Bill is going through parliament at the moment. It will do two key things; improve patient safety through a new Single Patient Record and abolish NHS England, putting more resources into frontline services, which is a good thing.
Our Health Service is a fundamental part of our national life and I am proud to help support the building of an NHS fit for the future.
I have been named as a men’s mental health champion by Movember.
Read more
Visit: https://leigh-on-sea.news
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighonsea.news
X : @leighonsea_news
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighonsea.news
Contact us: https://leigh-on-sea.news/contact-us
Email: [email protected]