Charlotte Nichols MP has joined colleagues from across Parliament in submitting a cross-party open letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, calling for urgent action following the closure of PAPYRUS and its HOPELINE247 service.
HOPELINE247 provided vital support to young people experiencing thoughts of suicide, as well as their families and professionals supporting them. Its closure has left a significant gap in support at a time when demand for mental health services remains high.
In the letter, MPs are calling for emergency funding to support a safe and viable plan to restore HOPELINE247, or to transfer its work to another organisation with the expertise to deliver the service.
The letter also calls for services likely to face additional demand as a result of the closure to receive the resources they need, alongside secure, long-term funding for specialist youth suicide prevention services.
Charlotte said:
“When we encourage young people to reach out for help, we have a responsibility to make sure that when they do, they can reach someone trained to support them, day or night.
PAPYRUS and HOPELINE247 provided an incredibly important service to young people and their families. We need urgent action to make sure that support is not lost.”
