Yesterday in Parliament I praised the Government's increase in funding for mental health support.
Brilliant work has been done over the years to reduce the stigma around mental health, attributed partly to the rise of social media, with young adults shifting the narrative on this issue online, but also celebrities and even members of the Royal Family speaking up about their own struggles. This includes my fellow MPs, of whom I'm very proud of for helping break down mental health barriers. Mental health does not discriminate and it is right people receive the support they need.
Investing in young people’s mental health both at schools and universities remains a Government priority, with 400 new school mental health leads trained so far - reaching over 6 in 10 state secondaries, with more to come over the next year. And locally, Keele University's dedicated Counselling and Mental Health Team works closely with local NHS Wellbeing Services to offer students a range of services including counselling, peer support, workshops and resources.
I'm pleased to see the Government is boosting mental health funding by at least £2.3 billion by 2024, building three new mental health hospitals, delivering 100 new specialist mental health ambulances, rolling out support for schools, and investing in 150 new crisis projects to improve care for people who need it.