June 2023
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This conference focused on priorities for the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the progress made from the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027.
It was a timely opportunity to consider next steps for funding and investment in mental health in Scotland at a time of concern surrounding future funding commitments - alongside the current outlook for mental healthcare in Scotland, priorities for tackling accessibility challenges, and reducing mental health stigma.
Delegates assessed policy and funding priorities for early intervention and prevention programmes, addressing workforce challenges, and the future for reducing waiting times for mental health services.
Further sessions looked at options for improving access to mental health services including tackling health inequalities in access to mental health care, reaching rural communities, and utilising digital health services to support access.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Louise Christie, Director, Scottish Recovery Network; Rachel King, Portfolio Lead for Mental Health, Healthcare Improvement Scotland; Wendy Halliday, Director, See Me; Danielle Flecher-Horn, Founder, AberNecessities; and Colin Poolman, Director, Royal College of Nursing Scotland.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- policy and funding: the future for the delivery of the new mental health strategy - next steps for funding and investment amidst uncertainty around security of future funding
- improving access: priorities for reducing waiting times - the role of primary care in access to mental health care - outreach for children and young people - reaching rural communities
- tackling health inequalities: improving access to services - targeting at-risk groups - addressing regional inequalities and reaching rural communities - reducing the capacity gap in care provision
- digital health and data: the future for remote mental health services - the options for utilising health data to improve patient care - achieving equitable access to digital mental health services
- early intervention: promotion of mental wellbeing - priorities for funding - prevention and tackling root causes of mental health issues - adopting innovative treatments
- local and community care: next steps for the Community Link Workers Scheme - approaches to align mental health care within local contexts - funding community mental health programmes
- workforce: recruitment and retention priorities - training programmes and career progression - opportunities to relieve pressure on the workforce - the role of Workforce Specialist Services
