Written question asked by Alistair Strathern (Labour) on Thursday, 25 July 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 30 July 2024 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Tuesday, 30 July 2024. A substantive answer was provided by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Wednesday, 31 July 2024 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Mental Health Services: Hitchin

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to mental health services in Hitchin constituency.

Answer: People with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they deserve, which is why we will fix the broken system to ensure that mental health is given the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it. We will recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers to reduce delays and provide faster treatment, which will also help ease pressure on hospitals. By cutting mental health waiting lists and intervening earlier with more timely mental health support, we can get this country, including in the Hitchin constituency, back to health.

Secondary information