Swinney announces £3.5m to expand round-the-clock mental health support

A mental health support service which provides round-the-clock help is to be expanded, thanks to £3.5 million of new cash from the Scottish Government.

First Minister John Swinney said the funding for the Mental Health Hub service not only “strengthens the range of emergency mental health support” available, but also helps ease the pressure on frontline responders – such as the police and accident and emergency departments.

Such services are often called on to help those suffering a mental health crisis, and the Government hopes the funding will make it easier for people to get support when it is needed.

The money is part of a £1.5 billion investment by ministers in mental health care, which is also providing an initial £1 million for a new crisis framework for children and young people, which will improve emergency mental health care in six NHS board areas.

Mr Swinney was speaking as he visited the Lighthouse in Perth, a centre which provides mental health crisis support for children and young people.

He said: “I am grateful to organisations like The Lighthouse who have helped shape our approach and who are delivering essential services in our communities.

“Over the last two years almost 80,000 children, young people and family members accessed Scottish Government-funded community services, and our new Crisis Intervention Fund will enable local areas to go further in offering the right crisis response.”

He said the Government is “working hard to ensure everyone in Scotland, wherever they live, has 24/7 access to the right mental health and wellbeing support”.

Mr Swinney said the Mental Health Hub, which provides support round-the-clock and which will be expanded thanks to the new funding, had been “set up so that calls from anyone in distress are redirected to specially trained practitioners”.

The Hub provides urgent mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with those who call for help connected to trained professionals who can assess their needs, offer advice and refer them on to the most appropriate support.

The First Minister added: “The service is supporting thousands of people each month and is easing pressure on other frontline services like A&E and the police, and strengthens the range of emergency mental health support available across Scotland.”