Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to support patients with inflammatory skin conditions to manage the impact of their condition on their mental health.

The Government is committed to supporting everyone’s mental health and wellbeing, and ensuring that the right support is in place, including for those with long term physical health conditions such as inflammatory skin conditions. This is why, between 2018/19 and 2023/24, National Health Service spending on mental health has increased by £4.7 billion, as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The NHS continues to develop the NHS Talking Therapies Long Term Conditions services to ensure that people with a long-term physical health condition, such as an inflammatory skin condition, have access to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended psychological therapies.