Chamber and committees

Do you discern any impacts of the cost of living crisis on people’s mental health and the demand placed on the health service?

Pavan Srireddy, do you have a perspective on that from a psychiatrist’s point of view? I was going to say “from the psychiatrist’s chair”, but I probably should not say that.

I will move on shortly to Graham Simpson, who has a question about the role of the police, but first I will bring in Christiana Melam, who wants to comment on this area before we move off it.

Yes, absolutely.

I think that Graham Simpson wants to come in.

Thanks, Peter—we will. We will also focus on the unequal impact of health issues. I come to Dr McDaid.

Are you saying that multilingual information is available or that there is a gap there?

Jo Anderson, I think that you mentioned the Aberdeen example as something that is under threat because of funding issues. If you or any of the other panellists have other examples of such initiatives being at risk, it will be really helpful if you can give us a note in writing about them.

I am going to have move things along, and I invite Willie Coffey to put some questions.

On that very clear note, Peter, thank you very much.

I thank all our witnesses this morning for what has been a very fruitful session. As I said earlier, the evidence that we have taken from all of you has been very rich in quality, and I want to thank Kirsten Urquhart—who is no longer here—Simon Porter, Shari McDaid, Peter Kelly, Paula Fraser and Meriem Timizar for joining us online and for their contributions this morning. I also very much thank Jo Anderson for joining us in the committee room and for the evidence that she has given us.

At future sessions, we will speak to some of the agencies and organisations that are on the front line, providing the services, and we will also speak to those who have some responsibility for the oversight of the implementation and delivery of services. We then expect to have a session with the accountable officer and the Scottish Government on the state of adult mental health services.

Again, thank you very much indeed for helping to inform our work. I also hope that you have been able to get some important messages out to a wider audience.

I now draw the public part of this morning’s meeting to a close.

Thank you, Paula.

Thanks, Peter—we are very pleased to have you here.