Politicians focus on mental health for votes
POLITICAL parties have been setting out their plans to boost mental health services in the battle for Holyrood votes.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon pledged to shift the balance of NHS funding by investing at least £150million in adult, child and adolescent mental health services over the next five years if re-elected.
The First Minister said this would include support for mental health link workers in GP practices and ensure the “ask once, get help fast” principle for anyone with mental health concerns is in place by 2020.
Ms Sturgeon said an SNP government would also ensure mental and physical health are treated with parity and Scotland’s new social security agency takes account of mental health.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats said they would introduce a “rapid reaction force”, providing full-time 24/7 cover in police divisions and A&E.
Under the plans, mental health staff would be deployed to police custody centres and work with police officers in “joint cars” to provide emergency care.
Leader Willie Rennie said: “Introducing full-time, 24/7 mental health support in our A&E departments would help ensure people get the care they need.
“We also know the police are often the first emergency service to arrive when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
“Cutting the time it takes for people to receive specialist support makes a huge difference and joint cars have been successful in other parts of the country.”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson attacked Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s position on independence.
She highlighted comments from former Scottish Labour MP Tom Harris, who told the Scottish Mail on Sunday, the party’s Unionist message “looks like it is being watered down”.
Ms Dugdale had to clarify her stance after she said in an interview “it’s not inconceivable’’ that she could support a future Yes vote if the UK leaves the EU.
Ms Davidson said: “With less than five weeks to go until the election, Kezia Dugdale’s position on Scotland’s place in the UK has never been weaker.
“This is an issue of utmost im- portance and the Labour leader can’t seem to make up her mind.”
Ms Dugdale was also on the campaign trail in Glasgow, where she used an event in Buchanan Street to accuse the SNP of “breathtaking hypocrisy” over cuts to council budgets.
Ms Dugdale contrasted Ms Sturgeon’s anti-austerity platform in last year’s general election debate with the SNP’s budget, which she said cut hundreds of millions of pounds from school and local services funding.