Minutes of Cross Party Group on Mental Health
29th September
12.00 – 13.00
Virtual - Teams
In attendance:
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1. Welcome and Introduction
Simon Jones (SJ) welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the Cross Party Group on Mental Health of this Senedd term. The first order of business was to elect a chair for the group. SJ nominated Ken Skates MS (KS), this was seconded by James Evans MS (JE).
KS thanked everyone for attending and nominated Mind Cymru as the secretariat for the group which was seconded by JE. KS stated he was looking forward to working with everyone during this Senedd to ensure that mental health remained at the top of the agenda for all politicians.
2. Simon jones, Head of Policy & Campaigns, Mind Cymru
KS invited SJ to present on some of the themes that had developed over the last eighteen months and some of the key developments coming up, for the group to consider priorities for discussion at future meetings.
3. Discussion
KS thanked SJ for his presentation and invited contributions from members around priorities.
Lindsey Imms (LI) highlighted work they had undertaken looking at workplace mental health support with a cross union group identifying a very varied picture. Ben Cottam (BC) raised how mental health and resilience could be central to the development of a post pandemic economy and not get lost within any economic recovery programme. KS identified the refresh of the Welsh Government’s Economic Contract as a key opportunity and the potential to look at this issue, tying in with that development.
Elinor Crouch Puzey (ECP) raised work they had and will be undertaking around perinatal and infant mental health. Amy Bainton (AM) said there was more work needed around the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people, particularly those who we experiencing emotional distress and not necessarily a mental health problem. Emma Gooding (EG) supported this in terms of the need to consider adverse childhood experiences and services becoming more trauma informed in order to prevent escalation of mental health problems.
Suzanne Duval (SD) noted that children and young people with learning disabilities are often overlooking in terms of mental health, with particular reference to south Asian communities. Alfred Oyekoya (AO) continued that there was a need to look at what support is available to people arriving in Wales as well as the impact of the review of the Mental Health Act and how it could be improved. Ben Jeffries (BJ) highlighted that as a campaign they are undertaking work looking at the issue of stigma within BAME communities.
Continuing the theme of the impact of inequality Glenn Page (GP) suggested looking at how inequality impacts on access and experiences of mental health services, particularly those experiencing poverty.
James Evans MS (JE) asked whether Sport Wales could be invited to a meeting to outline how they were ensuring mental health was being tackled through sport and physical activity. SJ suggested that it might also be worth inviting other arms length bodies such as Arts Council Wales and Natural Resources Wales, to see how mental health was being supported across their remits. Mair Rigby (MR) highlighted work Ramblers Cymru were engaged in around ‘Paths to Wellbeing’
EG asked how lived experience were being engaged in the group. SJ responded that usually there were a couple of representatives from the national lived experience forum that attended, but were unfortunately unable to today. SJ agreed to pick this up with the forum to ensure a link was established.
4. Next Steps
Ken Skates MS concluded that it would be useful to extend an invitation to the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing to a future meeting, which the group agreed would be useful.
Ken Skates MS thanks everyone for their contribution and agreed that the themes would be developed to set out a future programme for the group, which would be circulated