Mental health support

OLDHAM West and Royton MP Michael Meacher is supporting a call to secure counselling for those in need within 28 days.

The Labour MP said the push by mental health charity MIND was right given one in four will suffer with some form of mental-health issue during their lifetime.

Mr Meacher said: “It can affect anyone and we need to break any stigma attached to mental health and make sure people get access to the right treatment in a timely manner.

“MIND is urging the next government to make six commitments, including increasing the overall NHS mental-health budget by a minimum of 10 per cent in real terms over five years.

“Recent studies have shown young people who do not get the help they need at a young age will then be significantly more likely to need hospital treatment in adolescence. We need to tackle this problem as soon as it happens.”

According to the official health profile for Oldham, admission for self-harm in the borough is higher than the national average with 593 cases last year.

Mr Meacher is one of a group of MPs calling for action, which would also see a national strategy implemented to help everyone take care of their mental well-being.

Earlier this year, concerned mental-health staff warned of risk to patients from deep cuts in services. They criticised the council and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which jointly provide Oldham’s mental-health services.