I was incredibly proud to welcome Maree Todd MSP, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, and Cllr Paul Kelly, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, to The Health Agency on 28 September.
Their visit marked the publication of the refreshed Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan, developed jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA. For The Health Agency to be chosen for this important visit was a real honour – and a fantastic opportunity to show what The Health Agency’s community-led, preventative support looks like here in Wester Hailes.
Starting with wellbeing – and getting everyone moving!
There was no standing on ceremony when our visitors arrived – we put them straight to work! Maree Todd MSP, Cllr Paul Kelly and our local MSP, Simita Kumar, joined a seated exercise class led by our brilliant Positive Moves Lead, Cat Robertson.
It was a fun start but also demonstrated something important. Supporting good Mental Wellbeing isn’t only about responding when someone is struggling. Staying active, maintaining strength and independence, building connections and feeling part of a community all contribute to our wellbeing.
Getting support early, before people reach crisis
We then moved to our Kitchen Table to talk about making Mental Wellbeing support accessible, welcoming and available early.
Our Mental Wellbeing Lead, Gill Burns, shared how our Kitchen Table drop-ins and Wellbeing Groups sit alongside counselling and CBT. Our aim is to provide the right support at the right time – giving people space to be heard, helping them build tools and confidence, and providing therapeutic support when needed.
Dr Anna Noble from Wester Hailes Medical Practice also spoke about the importance of having trusted community services nearby that GPs can refer people to.
But the most powerful voices belonged to the people who use our services. Three clients generously shared their personal journeys, alongside two of our student counsellors. Their openness helped demonstrate what community-based support means in people’s lives.
I was immensely proud of them, and of Gill, our Head of Operations Kim Buckley and everyone who helped us tell that story.
“Community-led, preventative support”
Following the visit, I was delighted to receive a letter from Maree Todd reflecting on her time with us. She said the conversations reinforced the importance of “community-led, preventative support” and ensuring people can access help in ways that work for them, “close to home.”
Those words really resonate with me because they describe exactly what we are working to achieve.
Proud of what we’re building in Wester Hailes
Improving Mental Wellbeing takes community organisations, primary care, statutory partners, volunteers and – most importantly – local people working together.
Being chosen for this visit was a wonderful opportunity to put Wester Hailes and community-led support in the spotlight. Our visitors exercised alongside our community, sat around our Kitchen Table and listened to people share their experiences.
They saw first-hand why having trusted support available here in the community, before someone reaches crisis, matters.
I couldn’t have been prouder of everyone who helped us tell that story.
Zoé Mobey, Chief Executive at The Health Agency