Penrith and The Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson, is encouraging people to speak up about the issue of loneliness – particularly in remote areas – as part of his campaign to better understand and support rural mental health.
Monday marked the start of Loneliness Awareness Week, a national campaign to get people talking and break the stigma surrounding loneliness.
Recently published research commissioned by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has identified clear links between loneliness and mental health distress.
Mental health is one of Dr Hudson’s priorities and he triggered an EFRA Select Committee Inquiry into better supporting rural mental health.
With mental health support often concentrated in towns and cities, poor connectivity and shock factors such as floods and animal disease outbreaks there are unique challenges facing mental health provision in rural areas of the UK.
The Minister for Civil Society and Youth will now bring together ministers from a range of government departments to drive forward a renewed effort to tackle loneliness. The group will develop a delivery plan which will draw on this new evidence and set out new government action on loneliness early next year.
It will build on the 2018 Tackling Loneliness Strategy and the Government’s work to tackle loneliness during the pandemic through its £750 million charity funding package.
Now in its sixth year, Loneliness Awareness Week was created by Marmalade Trust, the UK’s leading loneliness charity to raise awareness on the issue and dismantle the stigma and misconceptions surrounding loneliness.
Dr Neil Hudson MP, said:
“Loneliness can affect anyone, and the recent DCMS study has shown a clear link between being lonely and mental health distress. I know from talking to people across Penrith and The Border that rural isolation can play a massive role in feelings of loneliness setting in.
“That’s why I really want to shine a light on the problem so people can speak up, seek support, and help one another. Throughout Loneliness Awareness Week I’d encourage everyone to reach out and contact someone who might be struggling with these feelings.”
Notes:
- An Op-Ed on rural mental health written by Dr Neil Hudson last month: www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/rural-mental-health-must-be-top-of-our-agenda
- Organisers: www.marmaladetrust.org
- Resources for dealing with loneliness: www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/lifes-challenges/loneliness/?fbclid=IwAR2zUZuh8hwIHCcQruYioAbJ9lsSvSv6jjdo9uw-yOiDqM0moUWFx3G6XaI
- Research findings can be found https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-and-loneliness-the-relationship-across-life-stages and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/factors-associated-with-loneliness-in-adults-in-england
