Oral Answers to Questions Debate
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Sonia Kumar
Main Page: Sonia Kumar (Labour - Dudley)Department Debates - View all Sonia Kumar's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
(1 day, 13 hours ago)
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Wes Streeting
The hon. Member is quite right to hold the Government’s feet to the fire on this issue. We are having cross-Government discussions about this issue and other groups of victims of state failure. We will keep him and the House updated.
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
A constituent of mine who attends Dudley Voices for Choice has autism with complex mental health needs and is at risk of self-harm. Despite not being able to use a telephone, they are still required by mental health services to do so, and therefore they cannot be treated. They were told that they are non-compliant, so their support was reduced. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to ensure that mental health services offer alternative ways to communicate for those who cannot use a telephone? I would like to thank Sarah Offley and the team at Dudley Voices for Choice.
Stephen Kinnock
We are recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers by the end of this Parliament. The Mental Health Act 2025 reforms will ensure that people with a learning disability, autistic people and people with the most severe mental health conditions have greater choice and control over their treatment and receive the dignity and respect they deserve.