One in four of us at some stage will suffer from depression and there are few medical problems with which to contend that can be worse than long term serious mental health concerns. For a variety of reasons Horsham has below national average incidence of serious mental health illness and depression. However many constituents do struggle with their mental health and require extra support.
I visited the Adult Mental Health Service team at New Park House in Horsham to discuss how they are supporting local residents. It was great to meet the team and to better understand how they meet the needs of service users as well as the wider challenges the service faces. It was an opportunity to ask specific questions raised by constituents but also to understand the needs of the service. I hugely admire the work of the NHS in this field and the many support organisations with whom they work locally. The Government has made huge strides in establishing “a parity of esteem” within the NHS for mental health and this area is a major focus for incremental funding under the NHS plan.
Photo Credit: Jeremy Quin meeting members of the Adult Mental Health Service team in Horsham.