SAMH comment on the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan

7th November 2023

Regarding the publication of the Scottish Government and COSLA's Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan, Billy Watson, Chief Executive of SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), said:

“The delivery plan is essential to the future of mental health in Scotland. We’re pleased to see a strong emphasis on addressing stigma, which is critical to creating the conditions in which we can better talk about and understand mental health, and the roll-out nationally of the distress brief intervention programme.

“However, we remain concerned that, as with the recent mental health strategy, the delivery plan does not grasp the scale of the challenge we face, which we believe requires systemic reform and clear allocation of sufficient resources. The plan also misses opportunities to make connections with other policy areas such as physical activity and sport, which is so important to good mental health.

“Scottish Government must make sure the plan is properly implemented. With the strategy and delivery plan now in place, people need to see improvements in mental health support very soon. We will be keeping a close eye on delivery and the promises made today.”