Rural mental health
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Closed
Inquiry
Improving the quality of mental health provision has been an increasing priority for the Government and the NHS in recent years. The NHS Long Term Plan, published on 7 January 2019 sets out the NHS’s aim to advancing mental health equalities, and commits it to providing an additional 380,000 people …
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21
Recommendations
10
Conclusions
1
Report
5
Oral sessions
5
Events
Activity timeline 12 events
3 Nov
2023
2023
18 May
2023
2023
Report published
12 Jul
2022
2022
Oral evidence
12 Jul
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
21 Jun
2022
2022
Oral evidence
21 Jun
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
24 May
2022
2022
Oral evidence
24 May
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
26 Apr
2022
2022
Oral evidence
26 Apr
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
15 Mar
2022
2022
Oral evidence
15 Mar
2022
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
12 Jul 2022
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Claire Murdoch · NHS England
Gillian Keegan · Department of Health and Social Care
Jonathan Baker · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Rt Hon The Lord Benyon · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Samantha Allen · North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Zoe Seager · Department of Health and Social Care
21 Jun 2022
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Dr Jaspreet Phull · Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Tim Sanders · Royal College of General Practitioners
Jacqui Morrissey · Samaritans
Kate Miles · DPJ Foundation
Professor Jim McManus · Hertfordshire County Council
Sarah Connery · Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
24 May 2022
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Carol Stockman · Cotswolds Community Wellbeing Service
Danny Hutchinson · Invictus Wellbeing
Edward Richardson · Farm Cornwall
Janette Smeeton · Derwent Rural Counselling Service
Mrs Melinda Raker · You Are Not Alone
Stephen Dodsworth · Darlington Farmers Auction Mart
Trudy Herniman · Farmerados
26 Apr 2022
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Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Alicia Chivers · Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution
Barbara Piranty · Gloucestershire Rural Community Council
Dan Mobbs · Mancroft Advice Project
Dr Jude McCann · Farming Community Network
Dr Rosie Allister · Vetlife
James Russell · British Veterinary Association
Karen Black · Off the Record Bristol
Melanie Costas · Rural Mental Health Matters
15 Mar 2022
View on parliament.uk
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Dr David Rose · University of Reading
Dr Rebecca Wheeler · Centre for Rural Policy Research (CRPR), University of Exeter
Rachel Hutchings · Nuffield Trust
Sarah Hughes · Centre for Mental Health
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health | HC 248 | 18 May 2023 | 31 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Rural isolation creates significant mental health challenges for residents and agricultural workers.
While experience of nature and the countryside is consistently identified as potentially beneficial for people’s mental health, our evidence is equally clear that the isolation inherent in rural living poses a significant challenge to the mental health of those who …
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Government Response
The government recognizes that individuals living and working in rural areas may face specific challenges in accessing necessary mental health services, directly acknowledging the committee's observation.
3
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Urgent, preventative action is warranted for rural mental health, despite no immediate crisis.
We believe that, while the available evidence does not reveal a mental health crisis in rural England, there are more than enough glaring gaps, and obvious red flags, to warrant urgent and meaningful action, aiming to achieve a degree of …
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Government Response
The government states the new Suicide Prevention Strategy for England 2023-2028, published on September 11, 2023, identifies priority groups and risk factors, including those affecting rural areas and specific occupations. It also notes that the ONS is using Census 2021 data to improve understanding of suicide rates in different occupations to help prioritise actions.
5
Recommendation
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Require DEFRA to establish a clear and active role in national suicide prevention strategy
DEFRA should be an active stakeholder in any national suicide prevention strategy, as the Department is responsible for populations and occupational groups arguably at higher-than-average risk of poor mental health and death by suicide. However, DEFRA does not appear to …
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Government Response
The government acknowledged the importance of addressing suicide risk factors in rural, agricultural, and veterinary populations, noting the new 2023-2028 Suicide Prevention Strategy identifies these groups. It also highlighted a new £10 million grant fund and ongoing ONS data work to understand occupational suicide rates for targeted support.
6
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Joined-up public health approach essential for preventing suicide among agricultural and veterinary workers
Adopting a more joined-up approach to public health focused on early intervention could make a positive contribution to preventing suicide amongst agricultural and veterinary workers. It would need to ‘wrap-around’ people at potential risk, incorporating the NHS, other key public …
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Government Response
The government pointed to the new 2023-2028 Suicide Prevention Strategy, which includes actions to tackle risk factors for rural, agricultural, and veterinary workers. It also highlighted a new £10 million Suicide Prevention Grant Fund and ongoing ONS data work to improve understanding of occupational suicide rates, indicating a multi-faceted approach.
8
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Local government suicide prevention plans lack rural focus and ringfenced funding
Local government is carrying a substantial proportion of the responsibility for delivering the existing national strategy through local suicide prevention plans. However, it is unclear how much these have identified, or address, the specific needs of rural areas. Finally, we …
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Government Response
The government points to the new Suicide Prevention Strategy for England 2023-2028, which identifies risk factors affecting rural areas and specific occupations. It mentions a £10 million Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, but confirms funding beyond 2024/25 is subject to future Spending Reviews. The ONS is also using Census 2021 data to improve understanding of suicide rates in different occupations, including farmers.
16
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Integrated Care Systems are crucial for improving rural mental health service response.
We believe Integrated Care Systems (ICS) will be crucial to determining whether NHS mental health services are able to respond better in future to rural communities’ needs.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of Integrated Care Systems in providing accessible mental health services for rural communities, stating work is already underway and funding formulas account for rural costs.
25
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Fourth Report - Rural Mental Health
Re-evaluate Environmental Land Management programme to embed mental health support for farmers.
Government policies and regulatory activity are key sources of stress for the farming community so Ministers should think hard about the impact of their decisions. The Environmental Land Management (ELM) programme is a case in point given the prolonged uncertainty. …
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Government Response
The government recognized policy uncertainty as a stressor for farmers and detailed how the Farming Resilience Fund provides business support expected to have an indirect positive impact on farmer wellbeing, with providers asked to offer signposting to mental health support.