Having made repeated calls for a Deaf Mental Health Service in Wales, North Wales MS and Chair of the Senedd’s Cross Party Group on Deaf Issues Mark Isherwood has welcomed progress on this matter since his last call, but said more needs to be done.
Responding to today’s Statement by the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing: ‘The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy’, Mr Isherwood questioned the Minister over the action that has been taken to date to include Deaf people in the new Strategy for Wales.
He also questioned the Minister over the inclusion of Neurodivergent people in the Strategy.
Speaking in the Senedd Chamber, he said:
“Wales is the only UK country without a Deaf Mental Health Service, yet Deaf people are twice as likely to experience a mental health problem as a hearing person.
“Speaking here in November, I called for a Statement by you as the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing on the inclusion of Deaf people in the new Mental Health Strategy for Wales, after the All-Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, a group of Deaf and hearing professionals and charities, had written to you stating that they were ‘keen to ensure that Deaf people in Wales are really and truly part of’ this.
“After questioning the First Minister here in February, asking for an update and to ensure that the Welsh Government engaged with the Group and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, with whom they are working closely, the First Minister stated that the Welsh Government had ‘asked the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee to undertake a review to improve mental health services for those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and this review will inform the delivery plan, which will be published alongside the Strategy’.
“Although the Strategy now states that ‘Quality Statements’ ‘will be informed by a recent review of mental health services for deaf people’, why does this not confirm involvement of the All Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group, or that there will be a delivery plan turning the relevant Quality Statement from a vision into quantifiable action?
“Finally, although the Strategy states that ‘Neurodivergent people are at greater risk of experiencing mental health conditions’, why does it not categorically state that conditions such as Autism and ADHD are lifelong conditions, not mental health conditions, although they can lead to challenges that may increase the risk of stress, anxiety or depression, and that it is therefore incumbent on Services to establish and adjust to an Autistic person’s communication, sensory and processing needs, recognise the causes of an Autistic persons heightened anxiety and therefore stop treating the Autistic person as the problem?”
