GREENS BACK STUDENT CALLS FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH
Alison Johnstone, Lothian MSP and Health spokesperson for the Scottish Green Party, has welcomed calls from students to make mental health a priority in Scotland.
Today, 3 March, is Student Mental Health Day.NUS Scotland, the national representative body of college and university students, has identified mental health as one of its key priorities in the Holyrood 2016 election.
Johnstone called for better training and resources to enable GPs to deal with mental health issues, but highlighted that investment in community support would help prevent young people who struggle with mental health problems form reaching crisis point.
Alison said:
"It's shameful that so many young people in Scotland have to struggle through mental health problems with little support or care.
"We've slowly started to break down the stigma of mental ill health, but we now need to respond to the challenge and actually offer the kind of support that will help students and young people cope with pressure, stress and big life changes.
"Ensuring that GPs are equipped and trained to deal with mental health problems is very important, but this must be coupled with good preventative and community care. With the right resources and good practice, university and college communities would be extremely well placed to support students in a way that prevents mental health problems from escalating in the first place."