Cwestiwn ysgrifenedig WQ84147

Whilst mental health services have remained essential services throughout the pandemic, health boards have had to manage unprecedented pressures and adapt services within the restrictions.

In 2021/22 the Welsh Government provided an additional £42m for mental health provision. This has supported health boards to meet the changing levels of need as a result of the pandemic with the aim of providing timely access to mental health assessment and treatment. This is in addition to the funding provided direct to health boards in 2021/22 as part of the mental health ring-fence.

In addition, we have taken a number of actions to maintain and improve access by:

· Working closely with health boards to ensure people are aware of the support services that are available in their area. Each health board now has clear and consistent information on their websites to help people access the most appropriate mental health support in their local areas.

· Working throughout the pandemic to significantly strengthen the range of mental health resources available to anyone in Wales. These resources are available on the 111 website, are free to access and do not require a referral.

· Prioritising investment for eating disorder services, with health boards, since 2017, providing an additional £3.8m to support improvements in services and waiting times. The funding is currently supporting service reconfiguration towards earlier intervention.

· Providing £4m to support a range of non-clinical support including that provided by the third sector.

· Providing £6m to further transform crisis support whilst remaining committed to having 24/7 single points of contact for mental health crisis in place by spring 2022. The single points of contact will connect people, via 111, directly with a mental health practitioner, enabling timelier access.

· Providing a further £4m investment across the system to support children and young people including more investment in schools and expanding a schools counselling service.

· Providing continued investment in community perinatal mental health services across Wales with over £3m of mental health service improvement funding supporting these services annually.

As part of the Welsh Government’s draft budget published on 20 December 2021 we have outlined significant additional resources to support mental health and wellbeing with £50m in 2022/23 rising to £90m in 2024/25. Whilst work is ongoing to determine the level of spend within each area we remain committed to reducing the waiting times for access to mental health assessment and treatments, with a continued focus on the priorities outlined in the Together for Mental Health Delivery Plan 2019-2022.