To ask the Minister of Health to detail the cross-departmental work that he will facilitate between the Mental Health Champion and Executive departments to ensure staff and their service users are supported with their mental health.

As outlined in the Terms of Reference for the Mental Health Champion (MHC), there is Executive wide support for the role. In particular, the MHC is a Government advocate to help and support all NI Departments and officials, acting as a positive conduit between Government and mental health service delivery. The MHC exercises her role in an independent manner, free from direction by the Department.

The MHC has recently written to the Health and Education Committees to request an opportunity to brief them on the implementation of the Mental Health Strategy and her priorities for Health and Education. She has also requested meetings with each newly appointed Minister to discuss her role and how she can support each Department. In addition, the MHC has written a letter to the NI Executive in which she sets out her priorities for addressing mental ill health throughout NI.

I am highly supportive of the MHC’s mission to improve the mental health of the people in NI and have planned to meet her in the coming weeks.