GSD calls on Govt to publish mental health audit and admit ‘systemic failures’

The GSD has accused the Gibraltar Government of “sticking its head in the sand” on what the party described as “systemic failures” in mental health provision.

The GSD said the “inexcusable delay” in publishing the mental health audit conducted by Public Health England demonstrated that the Government was “ignoring the real need” for mental health provision in our community.

It called on the Government to explain why it had yet to publish the audit, as it repeated a manifesto promise at the last election for “the largest single investment” into mental health provision “ever conceived”.

The GSD said it was “vitally important” for the Government to openly disclose and recognise the “systemic failures” and how to fix “the mental health deficit”.

It said the failure to publish the report provided “a damning indictment” of the Government’s management of mental health services.

“We unequivocally and fully support the call by the Gibraltar Mental Welfare Society for the

Government to publish the Mental Health Audit and the 2020 Mental Health Board Report immediately and our questions in Parliament continue to expose the Government’s failure in this important area,” said Shadow Health Minister Elliott Phillips.

“It is entirely unacceptable for the Government to shroud the results of the audit and the report in secrecy thereby creating a deep sense of mistrust amongst mental health charities, our mental health workers and our community at large.”

“Not one day passes without hearing stories by service users and their families and the Government must now ensure that we immediately focus on the increasing support and resources so that not one person is left out of the care that they deserve.”