Link made to mental health improvement

Published on Saturday 9 May 2009 11:05

PROMOTING mental wellbeing in everyday life could hold the key to improving Scotland's overall psychiatric health.

Speaking at the Thistle Foundation, a Craigmillar-based charity which helps people deal with mental illness, Public Health Minister Shona Robison said a number of initiatives were being investigated by the Scottish Government.

Raising awareness of how to spot early signs of dementia, extra training for social workers to notice potential problems in children and promoting healthier living are all key parts of Holyrood's mental health improvement plan.

Ms Robison said: "We want to create a more successful Scotland with a thriving society.

"Promoting good mental wellbeing, reducing the occurrence of mental health problems and improving the quality of life of those experiencing mental health problems is vital to doing just that. Our immediate aim is to help everyone to understand how their own and other's mental health can be improved."

And her sentiment was echoed by the foundation's chief executive Diana Paton, who said: "What we're doing is all about tackling and solving problems but also pushing the boundaries in how we go about this."