Derry and Strabane Council to survey entire district about mental health issues

Derry City and Strabane District Council will carry out a survey to gain an understanding of the challenges faced by locals seeking mental health support in the district.

A motion was brought at the full council on Wednesday by Alderman Guy, Cllr Tierney, Cllr Jackson, Cllr Harkin, Cllr Raymond Barr, Cllr Gallagher and Cllr Donnelly.

Cllr Tierney said the motion was largely created by Mindwise, an NI voluntary mental health group, after they discussed the issue with several local representatives.

“It's a motion that I'm happy to support on behalf of the SDLP and it's one that we probably should have already done before now - we should already know this,” the SDLP councillor said.

“When this information was put to me about people's ability to access mental health support within my own DEA, I'll be honest and say I had to think of where they could go and how they could access it.

“I'm someone who, in my opinion, would know most of what's going on in my DEA and would work quite closely with all the community organisations and would know how to signpost someone in the right direction to seek support with any issue but if I or any other councillor within their own DEA had to think about where to send someone then I think that's a problem and one that we should address.

“I think that by doing the survey we will be able to address that but I think the results of the survey then need to be published, may it be on the council website or social media platforms or whatever.”

The motion referenced the fact that the North has the highest prevalence of mental health problems in the UK.

It stated that an estimated 40% of people in NI who seek help can access effective mental health care and 79% of those do not receive the service they need.

The online survey will be open to everyone who lives in the council district and seek to assess accessibility to mental health support within each DEA.

The survey will also assess people’s understanding of their rights regarding mental health, document the source of stressors and the number of services ‘perceived to be providing’ mental health and well-being in the district.

Council will work with MindWise in co-designing and hosting the survey. It will also invite a representative from MindWise to give deputation to the relevant or interested committee or committees.

Alderman Julie Middleton said she hopes the survey can spur the council into taking even more action on mental health.

“It is so encouraging to speak in council about an issue we all care unanimously about. I am sure that there's not one person in this chamber today or in our entire council area who has not felt the effects of the struggles of their own or a loved one's mental health,” she said.

“I am hopeful that this moves to a working group and we can find ways to make the survey inclusive to those who do not have internet access, who are not tech savvy and also those with intellectual disabilities who may need assistance to have their voice heard.”

Cllr Gary Donnelly said issues regarding mental health are raised by constituents every day.

“As elected reps we deal with people on a daily basis who may come to you for one thing and you soon find there are a multitude of things,” the independent councillor said.

“It's obvious there's a lot of people out there who are struggling. We're a society that has had a huge conflict enforced upon us and there are generational issues from that, which aren't always very noticeable.

“There's all sorts of problems. We've had the problems associated with Covid. We have what I would call the cost of capitalism crisis. We have a housing crisis with the lack of social housing and the numbers of people looking for it is astronomical. We have a health crisis. People have all sorts of issues trying to access their GP's or proper health service.”

Alderman Derek Hussey supported the motion and said everyone faces some kind of struggle.

“I doubt there's anyone sitting in this chamber who hasn't at some time or another found themselves wondering if somebody was going to come along at some stage or another to just put a hand on your shoulder or just give you a hug. It comes to us all,” the UUP councillor said.

The motion was carried with unanimous support.