On World Mental Health Day (Thursday 10 October), Mark Hunter signed a pledge with Time to Change, the mental health anti-stigma programme. The pledge is a commitment by MPs in their roles as small employers to address mental health stigma and discrimination, and support mental health and wellbeing among their staff.
New survey looks at whether opinions have changed over the past 6 years
For far too long, the needs of hundreds of thousands of young carers who do incredible things to look after and support members of their family have been overlooked. They pay a big price with their school work, their social lives, and very often their own health. The role of carers at any age is still not valued or recognised anywhere near enough. This is despite the strides Lib Dems in government have made recognising carers needs and, for the first time, establishing the right in legislation to have these needs assessed.
Those of you who have read previous contributions from me to Lib Dem Voice will know that at the very top of my list of priorities as a health minister is to transform the care and support for people with mental health problems. Every year, the Mental Health Foundation - one of Britain's leading mental health research and policy charities - holds World Mental Health day, to raise awareness of different mental health conditions. Mental health has always struggled to attract the same attention as physical health conditions, and initiatives like this have played a valuable role in gradually turning the tide.
A charity which offers tailoring solutions for people with disabilities is to expand, thanks to a grant from BBC Children In Need.
More than 1,000 of the UK's 2,500 railway stations need "urgent" upgrades to help disabled people, the government has said. But while efforts to improve the situation are being made, some disabled passengers in the West Midlands fear their problems could continue for years.
