On Thursday 17 November 2016, Norman Lamb MP, Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority on Mental Health, visited Warwickshire to see first-hand how services are coping with the demand placed on them from people suffering from mental health problems.

Norman is a former Minister of State for Care and Support in the Coalition Government and was influential in ensuring that the Government introduced the first ever access rights and maximum waiting time standards in mental health.

During his visit Norman spoke to Warwickshire County Council’s Interim Strategic Director of People Group, John Dixon and Communities Strategic Director, Monica Fogarty about mental health services in Warwickshire and how the West Midlands Mental Health Commission could support services across the county.

In Kenilworth, Norman visited the Castle Brook care home which is using the latest technology and apps to help people with dementia. The state-of-the art care home uses night-time monitoring software to enhance the daily life of patients.

At Coventry and Warwickshire Mind based in Rugby, Norman met users of the service and senior staff. He witnessed how playing musical instruments is used as therapy for many users.

In the evening Norman attended a dinner hosted by Rugby Liberal Democrats at Arnold House in Rugby, where he spoke about the importance of early intervention to prevent mental health issues developing and the need for more funding and support for schools.

Commenting, Cllr Jerry Roodhouse who organised the visit, said:

“We are delighted that Norman was able to visit Warwickshire and see how different services are working across the county. Norman’s passion for mental health was evident throughout. What’s important is that we continue to treat sufferers as equal citizens and the Government continue to invest in vital services that spot the signs of mental health issues before they arise, giving people a better quality of life.”

After the visit Norman Lamb MP, said:

“I have met real people with real mental health experiences and seen first-hand the excellent work that is going on throughout Warwickshire to support people with mental health problems. The stigma around mental health is changing and more people are talking about it. However, we still need equality for mental health services within the NHS. This will only happen if sufferers can access the services where they live and schools, charities and local authorities are also given the resources they need to intervene early to prevent problems from developing.”