Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department has taken to provide psychological assessment and mental health support to (a) emergency service personnel, (b) volunteers, (c) local residents, (d) victims and (e) other people affected by the Grenfell Tower fire; what assessment he has made of the capacity of local mental health services to provide full and ongoing access to psychological treatment and support for all who are assessed or diagnosed as being in need because of that fire; and if he will make a statement.

Comprehensive psychological services have been put in place for those affected by the fire.

Central and North West London NHS Trust (CNWL) is the lead health provider for the National Health Service response to the Grenfell fire. CNWL established a walk-in desk at the Westway centre on the day of the fire. Twelve qualified staff are working from this space including one general practitioner and two child and adolescent mental health service workers.

Much of CNWL’s work is now focussed on outreach work in the community such as visits to former residents of the tower block in their temporary accommodation, visits to a number of community centres, going door to door in the three blocks immediately surrounding the tower and liaising with local schools and colleges.

Enhanced mental health support for first responders, including the fire brigade and those working to support the bereaved, has been put in place by London’s NHS Mental Health Services. A pathway of care has been designed, reflecting learning from Manchester and using London’s clinical expertise in this area. London Fire Brigade Counselling and Wellbeing team continue to identify and support individual firefighters. The NHS is providing additional support to the London Fire Brigade on request. The London Fire Brigade is also working closely with NHS England to establish what psychological support may be available for the families of firefighters.