Scottish Rural Action welcome focus on mental health

Scottish Rural Action have announced their membership of the recently-formed National Rural Mental Health Forum and welcomed the focus on mental health in rural areas.

The National Rural Mental Health Forum was announced in March this year and set up as part of the Scottish Government's new ten-year Mental Health Strategy.

Scottish Rural Action is the organisation that operates the biennial Scottish Rural Parliament. At the Rural Parliament in 2016, the Manifesto for rural Scotland was agreed. Rural communities called for "solutions to the mental health issues caused by rural social isolation are identified and early intervention support systems are developed".

Fiona Thompson, Volunteering & Campaigns Coordinator for Scottish Rural Action, said:

"In Scotland one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some stage in life.

"For people experiencing mental-ill health in rural or remote areas of Scotland there can be added challenges that make access to services and the path to recovery more difficult. This was highlighted particularly by young people during the process of forming the Manifesto for rural Scotland last year, and the Forum is an opportunity to make sure services recognise and address the specific needs of rural communities.

"Scottish Rural Action welcomes the formation of the forum we look forward to working with other national and local organisations to raise awareness of mental health in rural areas of Scotland and ultimately improve the overall wellbeing of individuals and communities."

Visit the Scottish Rural Action website for more information.