Scrutiny calls for more funding for Jersey's mental health services

A Jersey scrutiny panel is calling for more financial support for the island's mental health services.

The Health and Social Security Panel wants to see another £500,000 allocated in the Government Plan to mental health, which it says would help clear a backlog in referrals to services such as the Listening Lounge and Talking Therapies.

The additional funding would come from the General Reserve.

Since opening in 2019, the Listening Lounge has helped more than 2,750 islanders. The service has reported a rise in referrals since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

Mental health charities have welcome the investment but say that as an island we need to be more clever with the approaches and programmes that are on offer.

Scrutiny also wants more clarity over how the government's proposed Jersey Care Model will be funded.

Politicians are set to debate the Government Plan and its amendments from Monday 13 December.

The document sets out the government's public spending priorities from 2022 to 2025.