In his latest column, High Peak MP Robert Largan writes about developments which are under way at local hospitals to improve services for patients.

I recently visited both Stepping Hill and Tameside Hospitals where a range of exciting new developments are under way.

It was good to meet with staff to discuss the planned £30.2 million new Emergency Care Campus at Stepping Hill Hospital and the planned £16.3 million new Urgent Care Centre at Tameside Hospital. I’m continuing to work with the local NHS to try and deliver a new major health centre for Buxton too.

At Tameside, I saw the new £4.8million Walkerwood psychiatric intensive care unit. This world-class specialist unit will support men over the age of 18 experiencing mental health trauma.

The last time I visited the site, the building’s foundations had just been laid. I really enjoyed returning to see the new building in place, with world class mental health treatment facilities and to chat to some of the brilliant staff.

The next step is a full refurbishment and upgrade of the Cobden Unit at Stepping Hill, which will then provide a new women’s only unit. The first women’s-only unit of its kind in the region.

I passionately believe in investing mental health treatment facilities and delivering parity of esteem between mental and physical in the NHS.

In recent years, some really positive progress has been made to support better outcomes for people affected by mental health issues.

As part of the five-year funding offer agreed in 2019, mental health services will receive an additional £2.3 billion a year in real terms by 2023-24 enabling faster access to community and crisis mental health services.

Furthermore, the Department for Education recently announced a further £7 million for schools and colleges to train senior mental health leads, to help with early intervention for young people.

The Government has also committed around £2billion to reduce waiting times for mental health services, helping to ease existing pressures in the NHS.

At the Spending Review last year, £150million was pledged to improve mental health facilities in A&E units and £300 million will be spent to replace mental health dormitories with new single en-suite rooms.

But progress requires more than just money. That’s why I’m supporting plans to reform the outdated Mental Health Act, to improve support and treatment for those suffering with mental health issues.

We’re making real progress in removing the stigma surrounding mental health, but more remains to be done. Too many have suffered in silence for too long.

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