TO mark World Mental Health Day, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust teamed up with young people who suffer, and children’s services at Surrey County Council to back a national campaign that aims to tackle mental health stigma.

By sharing tweets, posts, images and videos on various social media platforms, the Trust and its partners are joining the #IAMWHOLE campaign to raise awareness of mental health problems in young people as part of a nationwide push, endorsed by celebrities including Dermot O’Leary, Ed Sheeran and James Corden.

Linda McQuaid, director of children and young people’s services at Surrey and Borders Partnership, said: “Confronting the stigma that surrounds mental health is extremely important as it will continue to lead to more people seeking vital help.

“Our focus is on early intervention and prevention, as the sooner we are able to treat someone who is experiencing mental health issues, the less likely it is that they will become seriously unwell later.

“This is why campaigns such as #IAMWHOLE are essential, as they create a sense of solidarity and reassure young people that they are not alone if they do experience ill-mental health.”

Earlier in October, it was announced the Time to Change initiative, an anti-stigma campaign run by charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, would be receiving an extra £20million in funding from the Department of Health, Comic Relief and the Big Lottery Fund.

Research by the charities found the proportion of people experiencing discrimination as a result of their mental ill-health has decreased from 42 per cent to 28 per cent since 2008.

Also supporting the campaign are the Surrey County Council rights and participation team for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), the special educational needs and disability team and the CAMHS youth advisers, a network of young people with experience of living with mental health problems who come together to help shape the way services are run in Surrey.

• Young people worried about their mental health, or health or education professionals who have concerns about a young person’s mental health, should contact the Mindsight Surrey CAMHS single point of access phone number on 0300 222 5755.

The helpline is available from 8am to 8pm (Monday to Friday) and on Saturday mornings, and can take referrals from health, education and social care practitioners and provide advice to young people and their families.