I am concerned about the need for better mental health services in Fareham and met with local mental health campaigners and representatives from South East and Solent Mind to hear the experiences of people living with mental health problems in Fareham.
Supporting constituents with mental health problems is one of the biggest challenges we face as a country. Every year, mental health problems will affect one in four people, which is more people than will develop heart disease or cancer. Whether it is depression, dementia, schziphrenia, alcohol or drug related illnesses, mental health problems can have a tragic effect on peoples' lives.
We are committed to valuing mental and physical health equally and we’ve now reached a critical stage in determining the future of mental health and wellbeing in our country. I hope to play a vital role in securing good quality support for people in Fareham, as well as promoting mental health at a national level. I am pleased that we will increase funding for mental health care, boosting funding of children's mental health services by £1.25 billion over the next five years. We are also committed to providing mroe mental health support to women during and after pregnancy, and have pledged to end the practice of using police cells as "places of safety" for those experiencing a mental health crisis by ensuring proper provision of health and community-based places of safety.
Mind is a great charity, providing advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They have a confidential information and support line, Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 (lines open 9am -6pm, Monday-Friday).