3rd October 2024

Commenting on the census data published today by NRS which shows that the number of people reporting a mental health condition has more than doubled since 2011, Alex Cumming, Executive Director of Operations at SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), said:

“Today’s data aligns with what we’ve been seeing and responding to in our work over the last few years. The mental health system is under significant pressure – waiting times are still high, and that’s in large part about the increase in demand demonstrated by these figures.

“More positively, we also know that many people are more comfortable talking about their mental health now than they were in 2011. We need to make sure that these people can ask once and get help fast, which means improving access to community and preventative support before smaller problems become bigger problems.

“The Scottish Government has the opportunity and the obligation to make the investment in the system that this data shows we need, and that has to start with the budget in December.”