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2020.06.30
13 Deputy K.G. Pamplin of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding the
Mental Health Strategy: (OQ.169/2020)
Will the Minister provide a statement on the progress of updating and enhancing the Mental Health Strategy following the adoption of my amendment to COVID-19 Elimination Strategy P.61/2020?
The Deputy of St. Ouen (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
With your permission, my Assistant Minister, Senator Pallett, will take this question.
Senator S.W. Pallett (Assistant Minister for Health and Social Services - rapporteur):
I would again like to thank the Deputy for his dedication and support of the Mental Health Service. His amendment was welcomed by the Council of Ministers and resulted in the incorporation of a detailed outline of mental health provision that has been published in the COVID-19 Strategy 2020 document available on the States Assembly website. The amendment to P.61 did not request an updated enhancing of the Mental Health Strategy 2016 to 2020, although as part of my delegated responsibility a refresh of this strategy is included. The Mental Health Care Group and their officers are continuing the process of collecting data, detailed service data, to support the provision of enhanced services going forward. This includes direct service user contact and targeted surveying resulting from the COVID-19. We are on a period of development and aim to report the detail of any change to service delivery to the Assembly within this next coming quarter.
4.13.1 Deputy K.G. Pamplin:
I thank the Senator as ever for his comments and, as he knows, in our assessment of mental health services, our review, we pushed very firmly to have somebody with responsibility and we were very glad that he was the person who had that. The point of that amendment, and the point of where he is, is backed up by the statistics I now have in front of me with the conversations I have had with third party charities and the Listening Lounge. There has been such an increase of referrals and people seeking support in the last 2 weeks, and this is only going to continue. Further to Deputy Alves ' question earlier today, does he agree with me that we need to see a much greater sense of urgency to support Islanders in the coming months ahead?
Senator S.W. Pallett:
I can assure the Deputy that there is an urgency within the service and within third-sector private organisations and charities to provide the level of service that the Island needs. He is aware of the work that the Listening Lounge is doing and they have been integral to ensuring that Islanders have been supported. But we are going currently through a period of transition with both Jersey Talking Therapies and our own psychology service. That will increase the level of support for Islanders and we will deliver that service in different ways. So there is no underestimation of the level of need or the level of support that is going to be required to get Islanders through these coming months and years.
Deputy K.G. Pamplin: Final supplementary, if I may?
The Deputy Bailiff :
We are only allowing final supplementaries when other Members have asked a question, so just your question and a supplementary. Final supplementary is only when other Members have asked questions. Obviously there is a chance to ask further questions when we come to Questions without notice to all Ministers later on today.
Deputy K.G. Pamplin: Sure.