Priti and mental health charity have a meeting of minds

Witham MP, Priti Patel, recently met with mental health charity Mind and their team in the Mid and North Essex branch, based in Maldon, to discuss their work in helping those in need of mental health support.

During the meeting, Priti met Ms Ginny Idehen, the Chief Executive Officer of Mind, along with practitioners who work directly with service users and volunteers who have previously been service users themselves. Priti also had the opportunity to see the ‘Let’s Talk about Self Harm’ toolkit the charity made for children and schools which includes useful information for pupils, teachers and parents.

Following the meeting and their discussion, Priti wrote to Dan Doherty, the Alliance Director at Mid and South Essex ICB, to encourage the ICB to collaborate with Mind, particularly on the issue of mental health for men and to outline the projects the charity is working on.

In the new year, Priti and Mind will join forces and write to schools in the Witham constituency to share with them helpful information about the ‘Let’s Talk about Self Harm’ toolkit. Priti looks forward to facilitating a closer working relationship with the ICB and Mind to work on preventing suicide, self-harm and supporting people living with mental health problems.

Priti said: “I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the brilliant volunteers, practitioners, and service users at Mind who do vital work each day to support the local community. With the impact of the pandemic and costs of living pressures we know that more people are experiencing anxiety and mental health problems at this time and it is important that awareness is raised of the help and support available. I will be working with Mind, other charities and the NHS to get more support in place for those in need and ensure those experiencing mental health problems know there is help available.”

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