Julian Smith MP has welcomed new measures to transform the way we approach and deal with mental health in Skipton and Ripon so more children and young people receive support and care.

There will be new support for every secondary school in the area. Each school will be offered mental health first aid training to increase awareness around mental health and help to tackle the unacceptable stigma around the issue. To support this initiative, new proposals will outline how mental health services for schools, universities and families can be improved, so that everyone in the community is supported, at every stage of life. 

The Government will also be reviewing children and adolescent mental health services in North Yorkshire and across the country. This will help to identify what is already working and what we can improve, so more children and young people get the mental healthcare they need and deserve.

These proposals are part of a wide range of measures to improve mental health in the UK and make sure no one is left behind. There will be an expert review into how we can improve mental wellbeing in the workplace so employees receive more care. There will be more support in the community so everyone in need can access the best support for their needs, more online services will be provided and the system will be made fairer for people suffering from mental health problems.

Julian Smith MP said: ‘For too long there hasn’t been enough focus on mental healthcare in this country, it has been a hidden injustice and surrounded by unacceptable stigma, leaving many to suffer in silence. Changing this goes right to the heart of shared values and making sure we live in a country where everyone is supported. 

‘These new proposals will ensure children and young people in Skipton and Ripon receive the compassion, care and the treatment they deserve. Mental healthcare will be improved in schools, workplaces and universities and those suffering from mental illness will be able to access the right care for their needs, whilst we tackle the injustices people with mental health problems face.

‘This is an opportunity to make sure we are providing attention and treatment for those deserving of compassion and help, striving to improve mental wellbeing and ensure that everyone is supported.’