Mental health and wellbeing strategy signed off for city

A dedicated mental health and wellbeing partnership board will be created and get to work on formulating an action plan.

Members of Southampton City Council’s cabinet approved the strategy at a meeting on July 16.

Cllr Marie Finn, cabinet member for adults and health, said it was a meaningful approach that offered ways to improve residents’ wellbeing, while recognising there were times when people struggled and needed support.

The strategy has gone through a thorough formulation process involving significant work by council officers.

This included a public consultation, which received 191 responses, as well as close work with partner agencies in the health and voluntary sectors.

Cllr Finn said the aim of the strategy is that people in Southampton will have good mental health and wellbeing, whatever their background or life circumstances. She told cabinet this was an “ambitious” goal.

“Southampton has a higher rate of both common and serious mental disorders compared to the national average,” Cllr Finn said.

“There’s also a higher rate of deprivation in Southampton, which is a risk factor for poor mental health.

“However, we also have a lot of strengths as a city to build on and to improve on, including our green and blue spaces, our voluntary sector and our community groups.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Peter Baillie said it was a “comprehensive strategy” but he gave a warning to the Labour cabinet.

“I would hope that somewhere down the line there is an assessment of how this report has actually been implemented in practice and the key is making a real difference," he said.

He said the fact no additional money was available to support the strategy made it more difficult to deliver change.

The opposition leader also said the council could make progress on promoting a better culture of mental health, referencing experiences some vulnerable residents have faced when dealing with the local authority.