18Aug 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Rise in depression demands urgent action

Parliamentary news
Responding to figures from the ONS that shows the number of adults experiencing depression has nearly doubled, Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Munira Wilson said: “We have all seen the toll lockdown has taken. The scale and seriousness of the rise in depression over the last few months is extremely worrying.  “Ministers must act now. The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to urgently develop a cross-departmental mental health plan to improve mental wellbeing for those impacted by the pandemic, including more funding and clearly-signposted support for every community. “Whilst we can hope to get a grip on COVID-19 in the coming months, the mental health impacts will last a lifetime. We must ensure no-one slips through the net as the scale of the mental health impact of this crisis…
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24Jul 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Care sector is facing a new crisis as we emerge from lockdown – Davey

Parliamentary news
The Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey has warned that the care sector is facing a new crisis in care as we emerge from the national lockdown. ONS figures released today show the shocking number of people who have either received reduced or cancelled care since the beginning of lockdown. Of those who received care before the lockdown for physical or mental health conditions, 30% reported they had received some reduced treatment and 21% reported that their treatment had been cancelled. Even before the coronavirus crisis there were over 100k vacancies in the care sector and the Government is yet to provide extra money to local authorities to deal with the coronavirus crisis as promised in March. Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Whilst millions people are now starting to get back something…
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29Jun 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must make mental health support available to health and care workers

Parliamentary news
Responding to reports that Labour have announced a "Care for Carers" plan, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said: “Over the past months the Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff. It is very welcome that Labour have today begun campaigning for Government to introduce crucial projects we have also called for, including 24 hour access to mental health support for health and care staff through a dedicated helpline. “It is so important that opposition parties work together to make sure the Conservatives do more to support our health and care workers during this crisis and beyond. The Government must now listen to the proposals from the Liberal Democrats and Labour, so that health and care workers can get…
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26May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Government must invest now in mental health support given impact of COVID-19

Parliamentary news
Statistics from the ONS show that across Great Britain from 3 April to 3 May 2020, some 80% of adults were worried about the effect that COVID-19 was having on their life. Responding to these figures, Munira Wilson, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, said: “The majority of people right across the country have experienced a tangible, detrimental mental health impact as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Ministers must recognise that the mental health scars of COVID-19 will be deep. We need to see investment now to ensure that people - regardless of where they live - can access the support they need, when they need it.  “That's why the Liberal Democrats are calling for the Government to urgently increase funding for and provision of mental health support. We are…
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19May 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems launch calls for more mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham

Borough news, Campaigns
The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Government to ramp up mental health support for health and care staff in Oldham to ensure “world-class” support for those tackling the virus head on. Highlighting the “deep scar” coronavirus will leave on health and care staff in Oldham, the local Liberal Democrats have put forward a package of mental health measures, including:  24/7 access to mental health support for health and social care workers, through a dedicated helplineGuarantees that health and care staff will no longer be penalised for time off due to mental or physical ill health, including when transitioning between rolesIntroduce an ‘occupational health passport’ so workers do not have to relive mental health traumas when they change jobs.Additional training to ensure there are mental health first-aiders in every health and care workforceSteps to standardise…
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05Apr 2020 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems lead cross-party call for improved mental health support amidst Covid-19 crisis

Parliamentary news
The Liberal Democrats have secured cross-party and third sector support for their call for the Government to improve mental health support during the coronavirus crisis.Writing to the Secretary of Health, the cross-party group of Parliamentarians have expressed fears that government advice to stay at home will leave people “worried about coronavirus, their jobs, housing” and “anxious about their family’s health and their own.”Over 40 MPs from across the political spectrum have signed the letter highlighting the “inextricable link” between mental and physical health and urging the Government to: launch a publicity campaign signposting the mental health support available during the coronavirus crisis.send public health leaflets, which include advice on looking after mental  health and signposts to organisations that can offer mental health support during the crisis, to all homes.increase the level of funding for mental health charities offering support during the coronavirus crisis, to reduce pressure on the NHS. The Mental Health…
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14Feb 2019 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Conservatives pass one of worst pieces of legislation ever witnessed

Parliamentary news
Speaking after the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill was passed in the House of Commons tonight by just 58 votes, former Liberal Democrat Care Minister Norman Lamb MP said: “Hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people are at risk of unlawfully having their freedom restricted and receiving inappropriate care. That is the deeply flawed system this Bill should have fixed, but instead the Conservatives produced one of the worst pieces of legislation ever seen.  “I set the Government two tests at the beginning of this process. Does the new system safeguard individuals’ human rights and does the new system result in very vulnerable people being better protected? Conservative Ministers have failed both of these tests.  “It is incredibly worrying that the Conservative Government are still pursuing this change in legislation when there has…
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31Oct 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Chancellor promises end of austerity, but no end to Oldham Council funding cuts

Borough news, Parliamentary news
The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, has welcomed the promise by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in today’s Budget that ‘austerity is coming to an end’ and his recognition that local authorities have ‘significantly contributed’ towards the UK Government in addressing austerity, albeit through being forced to accept swingeing general cuts to their funding. Councillor Sykes has also welcomed the promised extra funding to tackle potholes across the country and for new services to help those in mental health crisis, contemplating suicide, or living with infirmity or disabilities; however the Chancellor was short on detail when it came to rolling back the massive funding cuts that local authorities have faced since 2010. “Some of this so called funding will not happen…
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16Jul 2018 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Lib Dems call to address mental ill health in schools

Borough news, Campaigns
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Saddleworth North Garth Harkness proposed a motion to Oldham Council on Wednesday 11 July addressing issues around young people’s mental ill health, seconded by Shadow cabinet member for education and Shaw Councillor, Hazel Gloster Councillor Garth Harkness has been working with MIND to improve mental health understanding in Saddleworth along with financing mental health courses for residents in Saddleworth and young people of the Saddeworth youth committee to increase awareness, identify warning signs and promote self-resilience. Councillor Garth Harkness said: “I have been working on mental health in my own school around mental health strategy and policy. The problem is huge all staff need training, there needs to be mental health first aiders in schools with clear guidelines for staff and a designated mental health lead…
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