I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have reached out to me regarding your concerns about access to mental health support and services. I want to assure you that mental health remains a top priority for Government.

The pandemic affected the mental health of people across our country, particularly children and young people, so I welcome action taken by the Government to improve relevant support and services.

As part of the five-year funding offer agreed in 2019, the Government is committed to providing an additional £2.3 billion a year in real terms by 2023-24 for mental health services. This funding infusion is aimed at expanding services and ensuring faster access to community and crisis mental health support for all. Moreover, the Government has pledged to increase mental health spending to 8.9% of all NHS funding, demonstrating a clear commitment to improving mental well-being.

In the 2021 Spending Review, an additional £150 million was allocated to enhance patient safety in NHS mental health facilities linked to A&E. Furthermore, around £300 million is dedicated to replacing outdated mental health dormitories with modern, single en-suite rooms, providing a more dignified and supportive environment for those in need.

Recognising the significance of early intervention, the Government pledged to expand mental health support in schools, with an emphasis on the fact that half of related conditions take root by the age of 14. 'Our Plan for Patients' commits to increasing the number of mental health practitioners in primary care and strengthening mental health support within our educational institutions. This plan also aims to improve access to NHS talking therapies and enhance community support for adults living with severe mental illnesses.

In December 2022, the Government announced a funding of £3.6 million for the National Academy of Social Prescribing, an organisation dedicated to helping those grappling with grief, addiction, dementia, and loneliness through community-led social activities and services. These initiatives have shown proven benefits to overall well-being.

One of the cornerstones of our commitment is to grow the mental health workforce by 73% by 2036 to 2037, with significant progress already being made to reduce waiting lists, a top priority for the Government. In March 2023, there were nearly 9,300 more mental health staff working compared to the previous year.

Already efforts have yielded impressive results in schools, as mental health support teams now cover 26% of pupils, exceeding the initial Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision Green Paper proposal. By April 2023, these teams will extend their reach to around 35% of pupils, with plans to have over 500 teams in operation by 2024. We are also actively developing a roadmap for the further expansion of mental health support teams.

On average, each mental health support team will work with approximately 8,000 children across 10-20 schools and colleges, ensuring that every participating institution has a designated mental health lead. These teams comprise education mental health practitioners, senior clinicians, higher-level therapists, team managers, and administrative support. They serve as a vital link between local NHS children and young people’s mental health services, guaranteeing that help is never far away.

In keeping with our dedication to children's mental health, the Department for Education has committed to offering grants for training senior mental health leads in all state schools and colleges by 2025, with over 11,700 educational institutions already embracing this training.

Research is essential for informed decision-making, and the Government is fully committed to this cause. In 2020, the Government allocated £93.4 million to mental health research, an increase from the previous year, affirming our commitment to this critical area. Projects like the one jointly led with King's College London and eating disorder charity Beat are aimed at understanding the causes of eating disorders. In 2021, UK Research and Innovation announced a £24 million investment into adolescent mental health, including studies focusing on the relationship between social media and the mental health challenges faced by young people.

In the 2021 Spending Review, the Government demonstrated its commitment to health-related research and development (R&D) with the largest-ever cash uplift. Funding will increase by £605 million, bringing the overall investment to £2 billion by 2024/25. I am eager to learn more about the projects that this funding will support.

Whilst in October, the Government announced an allocation of almost £5 million to establish Early Support Hubs across the nation. These hubs will provide open-access mental health intervention at ten locations within our communities. These drop-in centres will offer mental health support and advice to local young people without the need for a doctor's referral. Importantly, they cater to those aged 11-25 years who may not meet the threshold for NHS support. These hubs will not only provide support for mental health concerns but also offer guidance on broader issues affecting young people's well-being.

Locally, the Sussex Partnership Trust is making significant investments in mental health NHS services, including the construction of a new 54-bed mental health hospital in Bexhill, which promises to be a positive development for our community. More details about this can be found on the NHS website.

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/about-us/how-our-trust-run/new-mental-health-hospital-bexhill

I want to reassure you that these improved services and initiatives are part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues and provide crucial support to those who have silently suffered for far too long.

Thank you for reaching out and for your continued engagement in this critical issue.