Mental health strategy to be developed

A draft strategy which will underpin the development of mental health services in Orkney is expected to be in place by summer 2019.

Speaking in the council chamber, Orkney Health and Care chief officer, Sally Shaw, said: “This strategy needs to be age-wide, it needs to be community-wide, and when we’re talking about this strategy, we’re not talking about people on the other side of these walls, it’s everybody in our community so it’s essential we start developing this strategy.”

Work will now begin to formulate a full project plan, which will see an engagement with key stakeholders and the development of a strategy which considers, in an Orkney context, priorities and current resources.

Councillor Rachael King added: “I’m seeing this as a beginning, and I see this as something we absolutely need to keep the momentum behind.

“I feel very confident we can achieve something very special within our community.”