Shotts Health Centre was the venue as the Scottish Government announced extra funding aimed at reducing waiting times for adults who require therapy treatment for mental health issues.
Kevin Stewart MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, visited the health centre, where it was announced that an additional £4 million will be invested to help provide adult psychological therapies (PT).
The Scottish Government standard is that at least nine out of 10 patients should commence treatment within 18 weeks of first being referred.
The financial injection forms part of the Scottish Government’s £120m Recovery and Renewal Fund and will allow NHS Lanarkshire and other health boards around the country to recruit additional mental health professionals enabling more adults requiring PT to be seen. It will also allow practitioners – where appropriate - to use virtual technology to reach people in more remote locations, or those not able to attend in person.
The latest funding is in addition to £5m health boards were allocated from the Recovery and Renewal fund six months ago.
The Mental Wellbeing Minister met Psychological Therapies staff at the health centre in Shotts where the funding boost was officially announced.
He said: “Across Scotland, talented and dedicated staff trained in psychological therapies provide high quality care and are helping more people than ever, despite the substantial increase in demand placed on the service by the pandemic.
"I want to further support the service so we can increase the speed at which people receive their care.
“Long waits are unacceptable and we are committed to meeting the standard that 90 per cent of patients start treatment within 18 weeks of referral. That is why we are investing an additional £4 million in mental health professionals trained in applied psychological therapies who will be instrumental in reducing pressure on the system.
“This £4 million funding can make a real difference. You only have to look at the great work being done here in North Lanarkshire to see what a positive impact psychological therapy can have on people’s lives.”
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