I recently met with the newly appointed Chief Executive of Mental Health Concern, a North East charity commissioned by the NHS to run a number of vital services in our region.

There needs to be a concerted national effort to improve the treatment, support, and awareness of the mental health epidemic. I am pleased Mental Health Concern is offering much needed services, including transitional support from acute mental health care.

Since the Tories came to power in 2010, mental health funding has been significantly cut and the number of NHS mental health beds down by 25% since 2010. Therefore, the work of charities like Mental Health Concern is now essential in the fight against the mental health epidemic in the North East.