#123GP campaign and accountability

The #123GP campaign launched an interactive map showing access to GP surgery-based counselling in all NI parliamentary constituencies. The map allows people to write to their MLAs to express support for these counselling services.

MLAs asked the Minister of Health about mental health referrals and about the number of patients with mental health issues in each Trust waiting for routine and urgent appointments. Answers are pending.

Covid impacts on mental health

NI’s mental health champion and other mental health experts including the Mental Health Foundation and the Samaritans raised concerns about the mental health impact of a potential economic recession and called for economic support to mitigate against it.

NI Education Minister Peter Weir and Health Minister Robin Swann launched a ‘Children and Young People’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework’ to support mental health in schools with recurrent funding of £6.5m.

The British Medical Journal reported on the mental health impact of Covid isolation on older people, particularly those most likely to have been shielding for long periods.