lliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has welcomed the publication of the Mental Health Action Plan by the Department of Health.

The plan contains 38 actions, including a commitment to produce a mental health strategy and actions for dealing with the response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“Never has such an action plan, setting out commitments to develop new services, widen access to others and to produce a comprehensive over-arching strategy been of more urgency,” said Ms Bradshaw.

“This period of lockdown will have had devastating impacts on the psychological health and well-being of so many, whether it is those battling addiction, a profound sense of loneliness and isolation, recent unemployment, family estrangement and lack of hope for the future.

“We in Alliance very much look forward to playing an active role in supporting the Department of Health, mental health charities and many others in developing a robust and far-reaching strategy for the next 10 years and beyond.”