LOCAL MSP Kenneth Gibson has this week welcomed new figures which show an increase in Mental Health Services staff since the SNP came to power.
The MSP for Cunninghame North has highlighted new figures, compiled by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe), which show that the number of NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services staff (CAMHS) in Scotland has increased by almost half since the SNP came to office.
The number of CAMHS staff in Scotland has increased by 49.8 per cent from 653.7 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff to 979.5 WTE between 2006 and June 2015. Over the same period the number of CAMHS nursing staff increased by 46.3 per cent from 279.9 WTE in 2006 to 409.5 WTE in June 2015.
Commenting, local MSP Kenneth Gibson said: “These figures show a substantial and welcome increase in the number of mental health specialists working with children and young people in Scotland. This increase has been driven by sustained SNP government investment.
“The SNP Government has made mental health – and the mental health of young people in particular – a key priority. Last year First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP appointed Jamie Hepburn MSP as Scotland’s first Minister for Mental Health and over the next five years an additional £100million will be invested in improving mental health services. 
“Here in North Ayrshire, a new £46 million, 206 bedroom integrated acute mental health facility and community hospital is being built at Ayrshire Central Hospital which will open next year and bring together a full range of outpatient and inpatient facilities.
“We know there is much more to do and the SNP remains committed to improving the mental health of people of all ages, whilst narrowing the health inequality gap between those from the least and most deprived communities.”