This week I became a Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Mental Health, a cross-party group bringing together MPs with an interest in improving mental health care in the UK.

This is a vital issue that affects one in four of us, and I have spoken about my own personal experience in the past.  Ensuring mental healthcare is accessible and comprehensive is one of the most important challenges facing this Government

Following the publication of NHS England’s Mental Health Taskforce Report earlier this year, which provided a forward view of how our mental health services could be improved, it’s going to be vital to hold the Government to account.

This means pushing for greater investment in prevention services, focusing on mental health education in our schools, understanding the links between poverty and mental health, and ensuring the good ideas in the five year plan become reality.

I’m looking forward to being part of an active group addressing these issues and making sure mental health is at the top of this Government’s agenda.