The Liberal Democrats are calling for more support for mental health services across Yorkshire & the Humber as new figures from the ONS expose the enormous mental health impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Across Yorkshire & the Humber, an estimated 86% of adults have reported feeling “stressed, anxious or worried about the future” or “that their mental health had become worse” between 3 April and 3 May 2020.
The new figures reinforce Liberal Democrat calls for the Government to scale up mental health support right across the UK in response to COVID-19 as a matter of urgency, particularly for people working in health and care.
Cllr Geoff Webber, Liberal Democrat Group Leader for North Yorkshire County Council, said:
We need investment now to ensure that people in Harrogate, Knaresborough, and across North Yorkshire can access the support they need, when they need it. This must not be a postcode lottery.
That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to act now to ensure people can access vital mental health support, and that local authorities and NHS trusts have the funding they need to deliver that support now and in the long term. People across the county, including in Harrogate, are depending on it.
Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, said:
The vast majority of adults across the UK have experienced a tangible detrimental mental health impact as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. This includes the tens of thousands of bereaved families whose lives will never be the same again, those in isolation, those in recovery, and those facing new financial strain.
That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to urgently increase funding for and provision of mental health support. We are calling for access to support 24/7 for those working in health and care, many of whom are enduring daily trauma. This is alongside our demand for better funded, clearly signposted mental health support for every single community, so that we can reach those who are isolated or in hard-to-reach groups.
