A PROVIDER of mental health services across Cheshire has welcomed Prime Minster Theresa May’s intentions to improve mental health support across the country, particularly for children.

The Cheshire and Wirral Parntnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP) says Mrs May’s announcement, which seeks to correct the ‘dangerous’ disregard for mental health.

Plans would see additional training for teachers, as well as £15 million of community funding and a challenge to the stigma associated with mental health.

A CWP statement said: “At a local level, CWP is committed to improving awareness of mental health conditions, and has introduced a number of initiatives to educate and empower people in Cheshire and Wirral.

“This includes introducing mental health awareness training in many local schools and providing high quality support resources online.

“We welcome any measures that will drive forward the national commitment towards parity of esteem between mental health and physical health services, as set out by the government Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.”

Government statistics show that, in 2014, mental health conditions affected almost 1 in 5 of all working-age people and around 1 in 7 of people in full-time employment.

CWP provides mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services to the people of Cheshire and Wirral in partnership with local authorities, carers and the voluntary sector.

It was recently awarded a ‘good’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection.