Blackpool candidate's warning over mental health services

Chris Webb, Labour’s candidate for Blackpool South and chair of trustees for Blackpool mental health charity Counselling In The Community, warned there were long waiting lists for treatment,

He said his research showed 15,860 children on waiting lists in December and 39,035 adults, according to figures for the NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board.

Mr Webb released the figures following a visit by Labour leader Keir Starmer to Counselling In The Community which is based in Waterloo Road, South Shore, and was founded in 2017.

Chris said: “”I was delighted to welcome Keir Starmer to Counselling In The Community and see the phenomenal work our team is doing to help adults and children across Blackpool who are shut out from accessing mental health services.

“These shocking figures demonstrate just how much our community, and our children, are suffering.

“Children should not be languishing in A&E because they can’t receive treatment in the community.

“Our children deserve better – it’s why if I’m elected as our local MP, I will fight to enshrine in law a preventative approach to mental health, opening mental health hubs for children and young people locally and making sure that all of our local schools have access to a mental health professional.”

Mental health is part of the government’s major conditions strategy which it is currently consulting on in order to reduce pressure on the NHS and deliver new services.