The Scottish Government’s new policy and action plan for mental health improvement for 2009 to 2011 – Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland – was launched on Thursday 7th May by Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health

This policy demonstrates the Government’s continuing commitment to supporting: the promotion of good mental wellbeing; reducing the prevalence of common mental health problems, suicide and self harm; and improving the quality of life of those experiencing mental health problems or mental illness.

Improving mental health and making a step change in how we, as a society, look after our own and others’ mental health requires a combined effort at national, local and individual levels.

At national level greater emphasis will be placed on providing national leadership. Delivery organisations will continue to work in partnership to offer co-ordinated support for implementation of the action plan.

The role of local government will be to work with Community Planning Partners, Community Health Partnerships and the third sector to offer strategic leadership for mental health improvement and to develop and implement local plans for delivery. In support of this agenda, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have said: “Scottish local government recognises that it has a powerful role to play in protecting and promoting good mental wellbeing and preventing mental health problems.”

Key roles for the NHS in Scotland will be supporting and delivering local plans in conjunction with Community Planning Partnerships and Community Health Partnerships and embedding mental health improvement into all NHS activity.

The Third Sector also has a significant contribution to make to mental health improvement both nationally and locally, via delivering services which directly or indirectly contribute to mental health improvement and advocating change and improvement.

Finally, the actions of individuals and communities are also central to this agenda. We know individuals do not make choices in isolation from the broader social and physical environment of which they are part: there is a clear role for local partnerships to work with communities to create mentally healthy environments within which individuals and communities are empowered to promote and protect their mental health.

Scotland has done much to lead the way in mental health improvement and has already been internationally recognised for its work. This new action plan explains how we will build on this existing success from now until 2011 and beyond, by focusing on strategic priorities for action as well as on the infrastructure support and coordination which the Government will put in place to help facilitate implementation and support delivery.

Copies of the plan are available from the Scottish Government website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/05/06154655/0

If you would like more information on any aspect of this support please contact Emma Hogg at Emma.hogg@scotland.gsi.gov.uk