Lib Dems call for mental health first aiders at every sports hub

Scottish Liberal Democrat sport spokesperson Neil Alexander has today called for the Scottish Government to fund Sport Scotland to ensure that staff with basic mental health training are available in every community sports hub and urged the Scottish Government to fund training for mental health first aiders across Scotland.

Sport Scotland already have a strategic partnership with SAMH – Scotland’s Mental Health Charity, which provides training on wellbeing, mental health awareness and how to have a mental health conversation to their Active Schools Co-ordinators and Community Sports Hub Officers.

The call comes after the Scottish Liberal Democrat autumn conference backed a conference motion that would see the Digital Services Tax on social media firms increased to expand mental health support.

Mr Alexander said:

“Businesses and public sector employers lose hundreds of thousands of working days to mental ill health each year.

“We know that exercise and sports can be a positive for both physical and mental health but it’s clear that there also huge benefits that can come from compassionate and understanding conversations.

“Sport Scotland’s partnership with SAMH is one that the Government could learn from. I’d like to see this training to staff in every community sports hub and ultimately for us to deliver mental health first aiders for every workplace.

“Often small local sports clubs are regular users of these hubs - by having mental health first aiders at each of these, the clubs can access support which their club may otherwise not be able to afford for their athletes.

“Just as we don’t expect first responders to perform complex surgery, no one is expecting mental health first aiders to alleviate the burden of Scotland’s mental health crisis on their own. However, early intervention can avoid a problem that starts small becoming a crisis. I want someone in every workplace to be able to recognise the signs of mental ill health among colleagues and know what to do.  

“In recent years Scottish Liberal Democrats have led the Parliament in declaring a mental health crisis, against the wishes of the government, and secured £120 million more for mental health in the course of our budget negotiations with ministers. We’re ready to play our part in sweeping away the SNP and putting in place a government which cares about Scotland’s national health.”

ENDS