Priorities for helping address mental health issues in Hartlepool set out in report

The plans are contained in a Hartlepool Borough Council report offering feedback from a ‘Mental Health- Working Together for Change’ event in December 2018.

The event featured 16 organisations coming together to create a joint plan for the next three years.

As part of the event 10 top priorities for Hartlepool have been listed in a report to go before the council audit and governance committee on Thursday.

The top two include the development of a wellbeing hub and cafe and access to respite and crisis beds, followed by developing a single point of access to mental health services in the town.

Others priorities include trying to prevent problems instead of waiting until ‘crisis point’, improving the timeliness of access to services and finding time to talk to GPs about mental health.

Health bosses also listed tackling social isolation, providing concessions for travel to access support and educating children and young people on mental health as priorities.

Completing the list of 10 priorities was tackling the stigma around mental health, and helping people understand what good mental health is.

It comes as council bosses said they have been carrying our numerous studies to improve mental health support in Hartlepool.

A report of council head of safeguarding and specialist services Neil Harrison pledged they would do all they could to help support people with mental health issues in Hartlepool.

It said: “Mental wellbeing is the foundation for positive health and effective functioning for individuals and communities.

“One in four people will experience mental health problems at some point during their life.

“The causes of mental illness are extremely complex – physical, social, environmental and psychological causes all play their part.

“It is envisaged the Hartlepool Mental Health Forum will take forward the key priorities from the working together for change event and this will form the basis of the mental health joint plan for 2019-2021.”

The report states 1 in 6 adults have had a common mental health problem in the last week and 1 in 5 adults has considered taking their life at one point.

It also states 9 in 10 people with mental health problems experienced stigma and discrimination.

Nic Marko , Local Democracy Reporting Service