AQW 1887/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 11/02/2020
Answered On Date: 26/02/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health what consideration he has given to the issue of parental alienation in his plans for investment in mental health services.

Answer:

Mental health is one of my top priorities and in line with New Decade, New Approach agreement, I will publish a Mental Health Action Plan in March and a Mental Health Strategy by December 2020.

The Mental Health Strategy will be co-produced and will provide a blueprint for the development and funding of mental health services for the next decade. The strategy will be of a cross-sectoral and cross-divisional nature, be patient centred and trauma informed, and will put the needs of people at the fore.

As the strategy will be co-produced with input from all relevant people and as it will focus on a whole life approach parental alienation may be an issue that is raised and will then be considered.