World Mental Health Day 2020

That the Parliament acknowledges that 10 October 2020 is World Mental Health Day; recognises that the day seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues across the world and also seeks to advocate for greater support for mental health; further recognises the prevalence of mental health issues across Scotland, which it considers have been made worse by COVID-19 and the necessary restrictions that have been put in place; believes that, while there is a high prevalence of mental health issues, these are not equally distributed and that there are severe mental health inequalities, with adults living in the most deprived areas reportedly being twice as likely to have common mental health issues as those in the most affluent areas; supports the work of mental health charities and organisations in Scotland such as SAMH; believes that the increasing awareness and debating of mental health issues in the Parliament is beneficial for the development of ways to tackle these issues; further believes, however, that health policy is, unfortunately, an area of over-politicisation and political point-scoring, and advocates that parties work together, collaboratively and with third sector organisations to develop policies that ensure people with mental health issues have access to the best possible care.