Director’s blog: Scotland’s Mental Health Delivery Plan is a start…
The new plan sets out the actions Scottish Government, along with others, will take over the next 18 months to improve mental health.
As an organisation dedicated to making mental health recovery real, we believe it is important to be ambitious in our aims but also very focused on how we will work towards achieving them. On that basis it was good to see the publication of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan (2023-2025) by Scottish Government and COSLA earlier this month.
The actions in the plan start the task of delivering on the strategic aims set out in the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The strategy set out a range of outcomes the Scottish Government and COSLA want to see. These include improved mental health; reduced inequalities and stigma; a better quality of life and more timely, effective support that meets the individual needs of people living with mental health challenges.
Importantly the strategy acknowledges that to do this we need to work towards better policy, services and supports with a focus on recovery. It identifies that people living with mental health challenges should be key to shaping the future of mental health in Scotland.
How are we going to get there?
The outcomes set out in the strategy are ones we can all get behind. They are indeed reflective of much of what we, with your help, fed into the development of the strategy and delivery plan through A Chance for Change
However, as an organisation we are concerned that while the aims of the strategy seem in the right place there is little on HOW we are going to get there? The delivery plan is a start. It sets out a range of actions across ten priority areas. This includes a very welcome Strategic Action (2.3) on peer support. What the plan lacks is specifics and tangible steps that will achieve its goals.
The good news is
We have been tirelessly working to raise the profile of peer support at policy level. To highlight how peer support, in all its forms, will help achieve the outcomes set out in the strategy. Strategic Action 2.3 is an important step forward:
Recognising the important role that people with lived experience can play as part of the mental health workforce, to improve mental health, we will champion the value of peer support across a range of settings.
Strategic Aim 2.3 – Scottish Government, Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan.
Scottish Recovery Network have been working with the government on this and will be a key partner in delivering on the action as we collaborate with you to:
- Identify and share evidence of the benefits and impacts of peer support
- Better understand the enablers and barriers to developing peer support in mental health
- Explore how peer support can be appropriately integrated into a range of supports and services
But we cannot do this on our own! To deliver successfully on this action we will be reaching out to all of you to get involved. People, groups, services and organisations developing, delivering and participating in peer support.
We truly believe that together we can make mental health recovery real.
-Louise
Get involved
We’re not starting from scratch! Our Peer Connects events and Peer Chat Live at Lunch series continue to showcase a range of peer support services and learning. We will also be launching a brand new Peer Recovery Hub in the New Year! This will feature examples of Peer Support in Action, training tools and lots of free resources!
We are also currently planning ‘The Future is Peer’, a national celebration event on 28 February 2024. for more details on this and other opportunities. You can also join the conversation on our socials using #PeerSupportScot
