Mentions:
1: McKee, Ivan (SNP - Glasgow Provan) , but only in so far as the modification relates to the operation of the mental health moratorium. - Speech Link

S6W-27710

Asked by: Sweeney, Paul (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that all mental health hospitals and the State Hospital, Carstairs, have supplies of Samaritans freepost envelopes available to patients.

Answered by Todd, Maree - Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport

The Scottish Government is working closely with Samaritans Scotland, as one of our key partners driving the delivery of the suicide prevention Creating Hope Together strategy, to better understand help seeking behaviour and increase signposting to local and national support. We recognise that there may be benefits for some mental health patients in accessing Samaritans’ listening services alongside NHS care.

At present, Samaritans provide pre-printed freepost envelopes in prison settings as part of their broader work to support people in prisons. However, while there is no specific scheme to provide pre-marked envelopes within hospitals, any individual can write to them for free by marking an envelope “FREEPOST SAMARITANS LETTERS”.

Samaritans can also be contacted 24/7 by phone for free on 116 123 and by email at [email protected]. They aim to respond to all emails within 24 hours.

We will continue to work alongside Samaritans Scotland to support any plans to further promote and expand access to its listening services within the NHS estate.

Found: Proposed changes include: •placing duties on relevant bodies, such as health boards or the police, to

Correspondence Jun. 06 2024

Found: response, June 2024 Correspondence to the Convener from Christine McLaughlin, Co-Director of Population Health

Correspondence Jun. 06 2024

Found: board or a special health board.

Mentions:
1: Burgess, Ariane (Green - Highlands and Islands) expanding our public transport and active travel networks, which will reduce emissions, improve public health - Speech Link
2: Chapman, Maggie (Green - North East Scotland) in that statement and in response to questions that the primary purpose of LEZs is to improve public health - Speech Link

S6W-27709

Asked by: Sweeney, Paul (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that the Scottish Prison Service ensures that all Samaritans envelopes distributed in prisons with out-of-date return addresses are destroyed and that only envelopes with the current up-to-date freepost address, "Freepost Samaritans Letters", are distributed to inmates.

Answered by Constance, Angela - Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS recognise the importance of those in our care maintaining contact with family and friends coupled with their ability to access support services such as the Samaritans.

Last summer SPS rolled out in cell telephony throughout our estate, which continues to support the positive mental health and wellbeing for those we care for and enables access to the Samaritans free of charge, 24 hours per day.

Any envelopes not marked with the “Freepost Samaritans Letters" address are being removed from use in establishments.

Mentions:
1: None I would like to raise the issue of student mental health support. - Speech Link

Mentions:
1: Stewart, Kevin (SNP - Aberdeen Central) for every £1 that is invested in volunteering, there is a cumulative economic, societal and public health - Speech Link
2: Whitfield, Martin (Lab - South Scotland) befrienders at the Berwickshire Housing Association’s BeFriend project; Keep The Heid, a marvellous mental - Speech Link
3: Wishart, Beatrice (LD - Shetland Islands) We know that volunteering can improve health and wellbeing and strengthen feelings of connection to others - Speech Link
4: Stewart, Kaukab (SNP - Glasgow Kelvin) Their unpaid efforts help us to address some of the biggest challenges that we face, from mental and - Speech Link

Mentions:
1: Constance, Angela (SNP - Almond Valley) That facility supports positive mental health and wellbeing for those in the service’s care, creating - Speech Link
2: Constance, Angela (SNP - Almond Valley) population is not just increasing but becoming increasingly elderly, and that comes with significant health - Speech Link