Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce waiting times for mental health diagnoses of children.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is unacceptable that too many children and young people are not receiving the mental health care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long, which can impact on them receiving a diagnosis. That is why we will recruit 8,500 additional mental health workers across both adult, and children and young people’s mental health services, to help reduce delays and provide faster treatment.
The Department of Health and Social Care is also working with the Department for Education and NHS England to consider how to deliver our commitment of access to a specialist mental health professional in every school.
Asked by: Danny Chambers (Liberal Democrat - Winchester)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on raising the public health grant allocated to local authorities.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has discussed the Department’s settlement for 2025/26 with my Rt Hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, as part of the Spending Review process.
We will confirm 2025/26 local authority public health grant allocations at the earliest opportunity, and will confirm future years’ allocations as part of the forthcoming Spending Review next year.