Country Correspondent: Partha Das
In October 2018, just months after appointing its first minister for loneliness, the U.K. has appointed Jackie Doyle-Price as minister for suicide prevention. The role will focus on raising the profile of mental health issues in Britain so that they are prioritized as much as physical health. Both appointments are part of a broader campaign to cope with mental health problems following a decade-long austerity budget. In addition, the U.K. government has pledged additional support in the form of specialist teams to address mental health issues in schools and tools to assess students’ psychological well-being. Suicide is the leading cause of death for men under age 45, and one-quarter of young people who require mental health services are unable to get help, according to a government report. The creation of the new post was announced in conjunction with the U.K. hosting the global mental health summit in London.