Migrants’ Wellbeing Matters
I want to emphasise at the start that I am not a medical expert. I am a Borough councillor doing the best I can to help the people of Southwark.

My work as a councillor shows me, every day, that mental health is one of the biggest issues facing our society. To give you one practical example, while I was producing this speech four people with mental health issues contacted me for help.

The problems that are brought to me include bereavement, relationship breakdowns, depression and self-harm. Clinical conditions such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are common.

I also know that the number of patients requiring assessment for mental health conditions in A&E departments is rising. Kings College Hospital reports an increase of over 10% in assessments between 2011/12 and 2012/13. At the same time there was a 32% increase in compulsory admissions under the Mental Health Act.

I am told that about 50% of lifetime mental health problems (excluding dementia) start early in life. So it is clear to me that prevention and early intervention are of great importance.

As nearly a quarter of people will experience some form of mental issue it is shocking that, for many individuals, ignorance is accompanied by prejudice. And this can lead to discrimination. So, unfortunately, the unemployment rate among people receiving public benefits for their mental illness is extremely high. This is particularly damaging because having a job is a key step in the process to recovery, or to managing mental conditions.

I want to say something about the issue of mental health as it affects female migrants. I have a particularly good perspective on this, as I am a female migrant myself. I am the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Adult Social Care in Southwark, and it is evident to me that there is a growing number of migrant women with mental health problems. Many migrant women suffer the additional burdens of language difficulties and a lack of awareness of the support services that exist. Also, the service providers struggle to identify those in need, and to provide the necessary level of support. These problems will grow as the refugee crisis develops. We have all seen and grieved over the plight of the Syrian refugees.

I am a Dementia Friends Champion and can attest that dementia, in all its forms, is a growing problem. My experience has led me to formulate a number of policy priorities, and I am campaign for the implementation of these in Southwark.

They include:
* Action to ensure that an appropriate advocacy service is available for all Southwark residents with mental health issues.
* The appointment of a Southwark Mental Health Champion to act as a link between the council, clients and the different agencies working in mental health.
* Action to ensure that mental health services receive their fair share of public health funding alongside real-term increases in each year of the current administration.
* Ensuring that each council department deals with residents with mental health issues consistently and with a supportive and sympathetic approach.

Of course the most serious factor affecting mental health is political policy, and I want to say a few words about that. I am proud that the Liberal Democrats in government ensured that a law was passed establishing equal status for mental and physical health. This was one provision of the Health and Social Care Act of 2012. The same Act committed considerable extra funds to underwrite this commitment.

But, as I am sure that many of you know, central government is making large cuts to the budgets of local government. The cut in Southwark is expected to result in a £1.6 million reduction in the public health budget. This will be the 8th largest cut in London’s 33 councils. The borough has a very large population of individuals in need of support from Mental Health services. Southwark Council, unfortunately, is choosing to inflict severe cuts in the provision of these services, and to start charging for services that were once provided free. I know that central government cuts must be implemented, but disagree strongly with Southwark Council’s decision to inflict these cuts on our most vulnerable people.

So, the immediate future looks challenging, to say the least. My job will be to campaign for a fairer set of policy priorities, and to go on doing my best for the people in need.