Moray MSP welcomes increase of £139 million in mental health budget
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AN INCREASE of £139 million in funding for mental health services has been welcomed by Moray MSP Richard Lochhead.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes confirmed that the Scottish Government will be making £15 million available to support the continued establishment of local mental health services.
An additional £500,000 will also be made available to health boards this financial year to provide dedicated mental health support for health and social care staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Lochhead said these latest measures will take the total spending on mental health services to £1.1 billion.
The Samaritans have welcomed the recognition by the Scottish Government of the impact of Covid-19 on Scotland's mental health and wellbeing in the Scottish Budget.
Mr Lochhead said: “This Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on many people’s mental health - and it’s welcome that the Scottish Government has recognised this and committed to investing over £1.1billion into mental health services.
“Lockdown restrictions, although vital for stopping the spread of the virus, have themselves had a negative impact on many people’s health and wellbeing, with more people experiencing financial insecurity alongside social isolation and the anxiety of living through a pandemic.
“As such, mental health support is an absolute priority for this SNP Government, and this Budget supports overall mental health spending of more than £1.1 billion, which will contribute hugely to our recovery from the pandemic in Moray.
“This is a significant step forward in the SNP government’s package of measures to improve the mental health support available for children, young people and adults across Scotland.”