Having attended a number of poignant Remembrance Services in both Wellington and Taunton where we paid our respects to the fallen to whom we owe so much I was set to thinking not just about those who have suffered physical injuries through war but those scarred mentally too.
Mental health is, I am pleased to say firmly on the public and government agenda with for example the increased availability of treatments through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy programme and an extra £54 million dedicated to under 19’s. ‘Mindfulness’ is a useful approach being applied to mental health issues and I was delighted to visit the excellent York House in Canon Street recently for the launch of the Mindful Nation UK Report which was produced , after much research, by the Mindfulness All-Party Parliamentary Group. This report represents the first time mindfulness has been seriously considered in the context of national public policy. It puts the case for government and funders to consider investing further in mindfulness training, innovation and research.
Mindfulness, is not a passing fad, it’s actually an ancient practice that addresses living in the moment in mind, body and external environment, with an attitude of curiosity and kindness. It has been shown that the adoption of a mindfulness approach can improve the conduct of offenders in prisons and can dramatically help those with depression. With depression predicted to cost the NHS £12.5 billion a year by 2026 and affecting 10% of adults it is clear that professionally run courses on mindfulness run by qualified practitioners who have been on training programmes like those at York House, could pay dividends.
Sadly up to 30% of our young people suffer from poor mental health and a mindful approach in our education system could be extremely helpful too. I was fortunate in meeting the inspirational Floyd Woodrow a successful action man, ex SAS ‘tough guy’ who is targeting children through his Compass for Life courses which enable children to take ownership of their lives, find a direction whilst incorporating respect, kindness and community payback. Forward thinking head of Bishop Henderson School is running a project with his Year 6 students and other educational leaders are watching with interest. I shall certainly be feeding some of these ideas into the Education department in government in tandem with the APPG recommendations on Mindfulness.
It’s all part of my MP’s role and if you want a stark contrast, I’ve just attended a Commons debate on hedgehogs! Poles apart, but no less important. The hedgehog population has crashed. A healthy hedgehog population is an indication of a healthy, sustainable environment, a point I put to Farm Minister, the eloquent Rory Stewart. Look after the environment and the hedgehogs will thrive. And a healthy countryside will not just provide us with good food, it too has its own regenerative, restorative effect on our well-being. It’s all part of the circle of life.
