Council all ears over new mental health plan

Local people's views and ideas are being seen as vital in helping shape a new mental health strategy.

Cambridgeshire County Council‘s Public Mental Health Strategy aims to promote both good mental health and prevent mental illness across the county.

At any one time, at least one person in six is experiencing a mental health condition, and it is the single largest cause of disability in the UK. This is detrimental for the individual and also costs the UK economy £70-100 billion per year.

The strategy focuses on promoting mental health throughout life, focusing on anti-bullying support for schools and reducing social isolation. It also highlights the positive impact that the wider environment can have on mental health – in particular workplace initiatives and anti-stigma campaigns.

People with severe mental illness often also have poorer physical health and may be more likely to die early from largely preventable causes. The strategy therefore looks at how more people with severe mental illness can be supported to live healthier lives.

People can have their say on the strategy up to 27 April 2015.

Comments can be submitted via the online questionnaire here.

Alternatively views and ideas can be sent directly to holly.gilbert@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

Emma de Zoete, Consultant in Public Health at Cambridgeshire County Council,  said: “We really need people to come forward to share their views on this new mental health strategy. We want to capture what you know helps protect your mental health, or the mental health of those close to you.”

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