Biography
Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford has engaged on mental health and NHS waiting lists primarily through debate speeches in the Lords. Her contributions have focused on mental health service capacity and access, including concerns about waiting times for mental health services, patient choice in treatment options, and the implications of unverified AI platforms being used by those unable to access affordable care. She has also raised questions about CQC oversight of mental health providers and the adequacy of planned mental health staffing increases to meet demand.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
“…Penny Dash reviewed the performance of the CQC and made a number of recommendations particularly relevant to mental health providers. Some progress has been made against that, including establishing a chief inspector for mental health, but there are still steps that need to be taken.”
Record by topic
- Mental health481st of 8806.0
- NHS waiting lists467th of 5342.0
What they’ve said
“My Lords, what assessment has the department made of the benefits and risks of the growing trend that is being reported of those who are unable to access affordable mental health care therefore turning to AI platforms such as Grok and ChatGPT, which are of course unverified for this use?”
Care Quality Commission: Mental Health Care Waiting Times · 2025-05-08 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…In April 2024, around 1 million people were recorded as waiting for mental health services, 340,000 of whom were children, and over 100,000 had waited for more than a year. The Government have pledged to provide an additional 8,500 mental health staff.”
Anti-depressants: Cost, Risks and Ramifications · 2024-12-11 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…It is understandable that discourse around healthcare is overwhelmingly focused on urgent pressures such as waiting lists and GP services. While these issues need answers, too narrow a focus risks a cycle of short-term fixes.”
King’s Speech (4th Day) · 2024-07-22 · Read on Hansard ↗
Contributions reproduced under the Open Parliament Licence.