Thursday 5 February 2015 is Time to Talk Day – asking the nation to take 5 minutes to have a conversation about mental health.

Having a mental health problem is hard enough, but sometimes the isolation and stigma can make it even worse. But we can all help to break the silence. Talking about mental health doesn’t need to be difficult and can make a big difference. That’s why we’re asking you to take just 5 minutes on the 5th to have a conversation about mental health.We will all know someone who has suffered from a mental health problem.

There is more information on the Time for Change campaign here.

 

One in four of us will be personally affected but almost all of us will have a parent, child, sibling, friend or colleague who has experienced a mental health problem.

In the Bury area alone, latest figures show almost 10% of people have been diagnosed as suffering from depression. But the real figure may be even higher. All too often, people are unable to access the support and treatment they deserve. For many years, mental health has been stigmatised with people feeling too embarrassed or ashamed to ask for help.

We need to break down these barriers. The sooner we can talk openly about mental health, the sooner people can get the support they need.

Thursday 5 February is Time to Talk Day; a national day where everyone is asked to take five minutes to have a conversation about mental health. Taking this short time out of your day can make a big difference and it’s completely up to you where you have that conversation – whether it be at work, home, in your community, school or online.

Bit by bit, we are making progress: transforming people’s attitudes and putting in place the reforms necessary to deliver long lasting improvements in our mental health services.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Health Minister Norman Lamb are leading Liberal Democrat plans to invest an extra £150m over five years to improve services for children and young people suffering from eating disorders and calling for all NHS trusts to commit to a new ambition for zero suicides.

Our zero suicide ambition is about changing how people who are in NHS care are treated so that they are not forgotten when they move house or transfer from one service to another.

The Liberal Democrats are also using £400 million to help people with mental health problems get the right support early on, such as psychological (or “talking”) therapies. We are also introducing the first ever access and waiting time standards to make sure people get help quickly when they need it – just as they would with a physical health condition.

We have committed to invest at least £500m extra every year in mental health in the next Parliament, building on the waiting time standards we have already introduced and improving support for new mothers, children and adolescents. Fundamentally, this is about making sure everyone gets a fair chance in life.

The Liberal Democrats will champion equality for all people with mental health problems and won’t stop until this is achieved. It’s wrong that in this day and age there is still stigma around mental health. Simply talking about how you’re feeling can really make a difference to people. You wouldn’t think twice about telling a friend you’ve broken your leg – physical and mental health should not only be treated equally in the NHS but should be discussed and treated equally in all other spheres of life.

Take a small time out of your day on 5 February to talk about mental health – it could make all the difference.

David Laws, the Liberal Democrat Education Minister, has revealed how the Conservatives wanted to implement severe cuts to the education budget in 2010 at the start of this Government.

The Liberal Democrats have categorically refused to support these plans and have fought hard to protect the education budget over the last five years in Government.

 

 

Liberal Democrats have remained committed to protecting and safeguarding the education budget in the next Parliament, while the Conservatives plan to cut it further by a quarter.

Commenting on the issue, David said:

“When we came into Coalition Government, tough decisions had to be taken because, as Liam Byrne famously told me, there was no money left. The Conservative assumption in 2010 was for a cash freeze in the schools budget – a whopping 10% cut in real terms over the course of the Parliament.

“When they put that to us, the Liberal Democrats insisted on properly protecting the schools budget and getting real terms increases year on year. They tried to cut the schools budget in 2010 and I fear that history is repeating itself in 2015. Their silence on the protection of the funding for early years, schools and colleges is deafening. Silence, photographed briefing documents and a stated mission to make deeper cuts than necessary can only lead to the conclusion that the Tories plan to make deep cuts in education.

“Just like in 2010, you need the Liberal Democrats in government again after 2015 to protect education and ensure that the next five years remain about building a stronger economy and a fairer society.

“With Labour surprisingly quiet on the issue as well, it is clear that the Liberal Democrats are the only party committed to protecting education.

“This is about more than just the schools budget. If we want a world class education system, then early years and colleges need to be properly funded too. The Conservatives and Labour should match the Liberal Democrats and protect education spending from cradle to college.”