Asked by: Oliver Heald (Conservative - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent representations he has received on the redevelopment of Royston Hospital; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dan Poulter
The Department has received no recent representations on the redevelopment of Royston Hospital.
We are advised that NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is working closely with NHS Property Services and Hertfordshire County Council to develop options for the Royston Hospital site. The CCG will continue to work with all parts of the local community to review these options and find the right solution for the longer-term future of the site, which is affordable for the CCG and its partners.
Asked by: Oliver Heald (Conservative - North East Hertfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve mental health services for young people.
Answered by Norman Lamb
The Government is determined to make sure children and young people get the mental health care they need, and are taking a number of steps to address this.
The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Taskforce was launched in August 2014 to look at how to improve children and young people’s access to mental health services which are more responsive to their needs. It will focus on innovative solutions to improve access to help and support across the sectors, including in schools, through voluntary organisations and online. The Taskforce will report next spring.
The Department has invested £7 million in new Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services specialised Tier 4 beds, £54 million into the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme and £3 million in MindEd, which provides clear guidance on children and young people's mental health, wellbeing and development to any adult working with children, young people and families. The Department is seeking to procure a new survey of child and adolescent mental health. We are also introducing a new waiting time standard to make sure young people with psychosis get prompt treatment.
Public Health England has recently published a framework that addresses the mental health of young people, commissioning the Institute of Health Equity to produce evidence based briefings on parenting programmes and publishing a briefing for head teachers which makes the link between education attainment and pupil health and wellbeing.
Public Health England will also be publishing a framework for local authorities to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for young people aged 10 – 24. In all these products, mental health and wellbeing are key features.