Mental Health Matters Publishes Report on Mental Health in Rural Communities
In response to the critical issue of loneliness in rural communities, the national charity Mental Health Matters has published a new report on the state of mental health in these areas. The report, released on Wednesday 13 November, 2024, comes just days after a parliamentary debate on the topic of Mental Health: Farming and Agricultural Communities.
The report, based on a survey of 120 people living in rural and farming communities across England, highlights the challenges faced by individuals in these areas. One of the key findings was that 96% of respondents believed that loneliness was a significant issue in these communities. Additionally, 62% of respondents reported difficulties in accessing mental health support.
Charlie Campion, the External Affairs and Policy Manager at Mental Health Matters, led the research and shared his thoughts on the report. “Rural communities face barriers to accessing support, from poor internet access to a lack of public transportation to reach services,” he said. “These barriers, also recognised in Monday’s parliamentary debate, are significant challenges to people getting the right help.”
In light of these challenges, Mental Health Matters is calling for several changes to be made. These include reinstating the role of Minister for Loneliness, with a focus on tackling isolation, and creating a Rural Mental Health Expert Reference Group. This group would work to influence the design of mental health services to better meet the needs of these communities.
The charity is also proposing the creation of a rural isolation fund, which would provide grant funding to help existing mental health services overcome logistical challenges in working in remote areas.
For those interested in reading the full report, it is available on the Mental Health Matters website at mhm.org.uk/rural-mental-health.
Mental Health Matters is a third sector organisation that provides a wide range of support to people with mental health needs. Their aim is to create a welcoming, safe, comfortable, non-judgmental, and non-clinical environment for those seeking help. To learn more about their work, visit www.mhm.org.uk.
This news story was distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/.
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