Select committee: Health and Social Care Committee
Conclusion 39
Eighth Report - Children and young people’s mental health
Published 9 Dec 2021
Paragraph 172
Addressed to Department of Health and Social Care
Health and Social Care Committee Children and young people's mental health All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Preventing the worst mental health outcomes means first creating the conditions across society that are conducive to good mental health and wellbeing. We welcome the support provided by the former Minister for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health to a ‘cross-governmental’ strategy to prevent the worst mental health outcomes for children and young people as well as her recognition that mental health should not be only the concern of the Department of Health and Social Care. The complex, multifaceted nature of the causes of suicide and self-harm necessitates a public health approach to suicide prevention that involves cooperation between Government departments, local government, education and the care sector. Given that self-harm is often used as a coping mechanism for other forms of severe emotional distress, the wider points made on public mental health in Chapter 1 of this Report will also help to prevent it.
From: Health and Social Care Committee, Eighth Report - Children and young people’s mental health (HC 17), paragraph 172, 9 December 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 18 March 2022 (deadline 9 February 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government welcomes the Committee's report and says it has "considered the recommendations", with responses that accept some in part, accept a few in full, and are considering others.
- On a cabinet sub-committee (Recommendation 1), it accepts in part, saying "the portfolios of ministers and cabinet committees are the prerogative of the Prime Minister", and it retains a cross-government Ministerial group.
- On 100% access to specialist support (Recommendation 4), "the government is considering" it, adding that plans beyond current commitments "are contingent on future funding settlements".
- It agrees the gap between mental health surveys was too long and commits to "a comprehensive national survey every 7 years", with the next in 2024, rather than the Committee's 3-year cycle.
- It accepts the recommendation on expanding Independent Mental Health Advocates to informal patients, but says this is "subject to future funding decisions".