Foyle MLA endorses New Script for Mental Health Framework
‘Crucial campaign and from organisation that has done so much to promote mental health and well-being’ - Mark H Durkan
Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan (SDLP) has endorsed the ‘New Script for Mental Health, Give 5: Steps to a Wellbeing Rights Framework’ produced by the Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) organisation.
Founded in 2006 by renowned trade union activist, Inez McCormack, PPR is a human rights NGO dedicated to turning “international human rights standards into grassroots tools for economic, social and environmental change”.
The ‘Give 5 Framework’ has been designed to expand and enhance the Public Health Agency’s ‘Take 5’ public messaging on health and wellbeing; its five elements are: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give People dignity.
According to Sara Boyce from PPR antidepressant prescribing has quadrupled in two decades, with a 65% rise among under-18s in the past decade, which she described as “alarming”.
Speaking at its launch event in Stormont, Ms Boyce said PPR was confident “steps can and will be taken to stop the annual increase in prescribing antidepressants to then reverse the trend”.
She added: “We have been campaigning long and hard to be heard by those who are making decisions everyday about the mental health of people living in local communities throughout Northern Ireland.
“At Participation and the Practice of Rights our New Script for Mental Health campaign focuses on the growing global movement to rethink how communities understand and respond to mental distress and trauma.
“Our ‘Give 5 Framework’ urges the need for transformational change in Northern Ireland and we welcome the endorsement that this framework has received today from MLAs from all parties.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has endorsed our framework as we continue to build a societal conversation on mental health, led by people with first-hand experience of mental health struggles as well as those working at the coal face of mental health services,” said Ms Boyce.
Speaking in Stormont, Mr Durkan said the ‘New Script for Mental Health Give 5: Steps to a Wellbeing Rights Framework’ was a “crucial campaign that had done so much to promote mental health and well-being”.
He added: “I am delighted to be here today to offer my and the SDLP’s support for PPR’s ‘Give 5’ campaign.
“This is another crucial campaign from a great organisation which has done so much to promote mental health and well-being, fighting for better support and services for people in need.
“We often hear from politicians what people can do to look after their own mental health, what steps they can take to improve their well-being.
“However, we need to see from Government what it can do. These are five simple steps the Government here can take and must take to ensure people here are protected from the ravages of mental health,” said Mr Durkan.
New Script for Mental Health has already received hundreds of endorsements for the ‘Give 5 Framework’ including from trade unions, human rights organisations, counselling accreditation bodies, suicide prevention charities, CVS organisations and UNISON, Community Development Health Network, British Counselling and Psychotherapy Society, Rural Community Network, British Psychological Society NI Clinical Division, Cunamh Counselling Derry and Suicide Down to Zero Downpatrick.