Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Yvette Cooper visited a new mental health centre in Gleadless Valley

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper visited Sheffield this morning to announce an increase in crucial neighbourhood support, with up to 159 new NHS mental health centres across England.

She visited a new pilot mental health centre in Gleadless Valley, run by Sheffield Health Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, to meet NHS staff, volunteers and residents, hearing their personal experiences with mental health, and their hopes for the centre.

She said: “I've been talking to some of the health professionals working here, some of the voluntary sector people working here but also local residents as well about what it means. The impact it can have is preventing people reaching mental health crisis, intervening early.”

There are currently six community-based mental health centres in England, one of which is part of the Terry Wright Community Centre and Newfield Green Library in Gleadless Valley, a deprived area in the south of Sheffield.

The Health Secretary said: “These centres are particularly for adults, and that can include adults who have a whole range of both mental health conditions, but also other kinds of disabilities, and also ensure that there's work as well to help people in different ways.

“Alongside that, we're rolling out mental health support in schools as well, so that you have all different kinds of help, early intervention, because that's what makes the difference.”

The Health Secretary said early intervention is what makes the difference | PA

placeholder image — The Health Secretary said early intervention is what makes the difference | PA

Demand for mental health services has risen sharply, particularly among children and young people, with around one in five people experiencing a common mental health condition each year.

Ms Cooper also spoke about adult social care, adding: “Care workers have been undervalued and underpaid for too long.

“We want to bring in a new fair pay agreement. We’re doing a lot of the work on that at the moment, and we're also looking at more widely what is the long term future of social care, so we can build a national care service.”

As a Yorkshire MP, the Health Secretary said: “This is also about what happens here, and not just about what happens in London.

“That means strengthening the work we have already in Leeds, and making that the Department of Health North, in the same way we've got the number 10 North.”