Response to launch of new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Wales

Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Rhian Bowen-Davies, said:

“I welcome the publication of the Welsh Government’s new Mental Health Strategy, which recognises the breadth of issues that impact upon our mental health and well-being and aims to ensure people can quickly access help and support when they need it.

“I also welcome the focus within the strategy on prevention and early intervention, which reflects similar priorities across the wider health system in Wales. This is crucial to help ensure people do not reach crisis points before they can access support.

“I am pleased that the strategy makes reference to older people and the particular issues and barriers they may face, although I would have liked more detail on how the discrimination that can affect access to services and support – whether on the basis of age or due to other protected characteristics – will be addressed.

“This is particularly important as older people’s mental health problems have sometimes been dismissed as being ‘just old age’, rather than something that can be actively helped by offering the full range of support available to other adults.”

“As Commissioner, I will be closely monitoring the implementation of the strategy to ensure that its ambitions deliver meaningful action and that the experiences of older people with mental health related issues are improved.”