Oral Answers to Questions

Mark Pawsey Excerpts

Tuesday 7th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Hunt]

Dudley CCG has seen its funding go up, and we are asking all CCGs to increase the proportion of their spend on mental health. I am happy to look into the situation the hon. Gentleman talks about, but I will be very disappointed if increasing resources are not going into mental health provision in Dudley.

[Mark Pawsey (Rugby) (Con)]

Will the Secretary of State say a little more about how children’s mental health services can work more closely with schools and the education system more broadly?

[Mr Hunt]

I am happy to do that. Some interesting innovation is going on in many parts of the country. In Hove, a school I visited has a CAMHS––child and adolescent mental health services—worker based full-time in the school. That had a transformational effect, as it meant teachers always had someone they knew they could talk to and their understanding of mental health improved. That is the kind of innovation we want to encourage.