Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, at the Council meeting on 2nd November, the following motion, which had been proposed by Councillor Pankhurst and seconded by Councillor Kyle, had, in accordance with Standing Order 13(f), been referred to the Committee for consideration:

“This Council agrees that Belfast is facing a mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Council agrees to launch an awareness and support campaign in the city centre, at strategic points throughout the city and on social media that targets those with poor mental health. The campaign will focus on posters offering support service details and general questions that have a positive psychological effect for those who read them.

Furthermore, this Council agrees to convene an urgent meeting between the Council, the Executive Office, the Department for Health and statutory agencies to discuss the formation of a community emergency response system that will allow local support

services to respond to those in need of urgent and direct help.

Finally, this Council acknowledges and pays tribute to all those charities and services who offer invaluable help to our citizens that undoubtedly save lives on a daily and weekly basis.”

            Both the proposer of the motion Councillor Pankhurst and seconder of the motion Councillor Kyle addressed the Committee and outlined the context of the motion, highlighting the need for the Council to work strategically with other statutory and voluntary partners to publicise the help that existed and to ensure that adequate support services were in place to respond to those in need of help. 

            Several Members commended and paid tribute to those charities, organisations and individuals who volunteered their help and support, often on a daily basis, and recognised the valuable role that they played in society and in helping to save lives. 

            In response to the motion, the Director of Neighbourhood Services provided the Members with an assurance that the Council was committed to the promotion of mental health awareness and support.  He referred to mental health support which was available and publicised via the Council’s social media channels and he also drew reference to the Directory of Services Document which was available via the Public Health Agency – a Mental Health Directory of Services aimed at signposting people in need of support to the support services in Belfast, available here: http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/2020-01/Belfast_area_card_2020.pdf 

            The Director also highlighted the other support mechanisms that were available, including Lifeline (0808 808 8000) the regional 24/7 helpline.  He advised that a pilot of the Multi Agency Triage Team trust, Ambulance Service and Police was ongoing in the Belfast and the South Eastern Trust areas.

            A further Member suggested involving the Belfast Youth Forum (BYF).  She advised that, at its recent joint meeting with the People and Committees Committee on 20th October, 2020, the Youth Forum had presented its “Elephant in the Room Campaign”, a report which explored young people’s awareness of mental health in Northern Ireland.

            A number of Members commended the Youth Forum in regard to the progress made with the Elephant in the Room Group (EITR) campaign and noted that they were keen to continue to work with the BYF to learn from them.

            The Director advised that the EITR Group had advised that it intended to invite the current Mental Health Champion to the Executive, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, to meet the group.  Professor O’Neill had been present at the presentation to Executive Working Group on Mental Wellbeing, Resilience and Suicide Prevention in July and was keen to discuss the EITR report further with the Youth Forum.

            The Director concluded by advising that the Belfast Protect Life Implementation Group (BPLG), a multi-agency partnership in Belfast that was responsible for suicide prevention, which was facilitated by the PHA, had recently updated its membership.  He assured the Committee that the Council would, as requested in the motion, continue to engage with it to discuss the formation of a community emergency response system.

            The Committee adopted the motion and agreed that the Council would continue to promote mental health awareness throughout the city and via social media.  It further agreed that the Council would engage with the BPLG to discuss the formation of a community emergency response system that would enable local support services to respond to those in need of urgent and direct help.