Elizabeth Callaghan: UK correspondent on Prime Minister Andy Burnham announcing new walk-in mental health centres

Over in the UK, people who need mental health problems will be able to access specialist walk-in hubs, according to the Government.

Dozens of these hubs are set to open in high street locations like banks and libraries.

UK correspondent Elizabeth Callaghan says the UK Government is looking into getting at least 200 of these set up by 2029.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Elizabethkellahan UK correspondence with that's hi, Elizabeth.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hello, good afternoon. How are you doing.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
I am very well. It's good to talk to you.
Talk me through these mental health plans announced by Andy Burnham.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
So, yeah, so he's announcing plans for new walk in
support centers so people can get mental health support easier
and with no referrals. So he's planning on putting them
in places like banks and libraries, and then also having
some dedicated mental health emergency departments as well, so to
avoid people waiting in busy A and A, A and e's,

(00:36):
which might not necessarily be the best place for them.
He's calling it the biggest redesign of mental health services
in a generation, and he's looking at getting some of
those walking centers opened by the autumn time. So yeah,
so just really focusing people getting the right care in
the right place. The initiatives backed by three hundred and

(00:58):
forty three million pounds and yeah, so someonell open autumn
and then they'll be further ones following from March twenty
twenty seven, but he's looking to get around two hundred
by twenty twenty nine.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
Do you think it's going to work? Elizabeth? Because the distinction.
I mean, I think if somebody is in any kind
of distress, whether it's you know, like the amor's bleeding
badly or they having a mental health crisis, doctors are doctors,
aren't they.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, they're looking at having specially trained people to help
with these centers. Whether they can get the staffing on
that as well is also into question. But I think
if people, you know, it's such a big problem mental
health issue over here, and I think if there is
somewhere where people can know they can go to get

(01:48):
some kind of help, it could ease the burden on
the NHS, but also help drive down crime as well,
because so many are by people that have suffering for
mental health issues.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
All Right, how did that Marco Rubio meeting go for
d Miliband?

Speaker 2 (02:07):
I think it didn't go too bad. He seems quite
happy with it. And obviously it's slightly awkward because of
the history of Ed Miliband calling in the past President
Trump a racist and misogynist. So he was heckled by
reporters when they came out for the photo op. But
he said that though that's unsurprisingly that didn't come up.

(02:32):
But yeah, really polaring opposite of opposites political spectrums. Marco
Rubio and the Ed Miller Band, who's Edminli Band is
very much net zero left the Labor Party. But they
said that, you know, they discussed reopening the Straight of
Homer's and having Europe take on a greater role. Marco

(02:52):
Ruby also pushing that they want this defense budget increased.
So I think you'll leave. It was fairly happy that
there's some kind of relation that they seem to be
getting on. Yeah. I don't think he was a particularly
liked person before he came. They had a nickname Ed

(03:13):
Milliwatt and they were unsure about him coming from a secretary.
But yeah, early days. But we'll see how it goes.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
Yeah, we'll see how it goes. I mean generally they
do get over their differences when they have to talk
to me about this. Cambridge University professor busted for plagiarism.
This is fascinating, it really is.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
It's so curious, and it's been really mounting in the
papers this week in particular, just that you know news stories.
So this is a man called Jason Arday and he
became the youngest black professor ever at the University of
Cambridge when he was appointed in twenty twenty three. He's
a professor of sociology of education. He's now been forced

(03:54):
to resign over allegations of academic plagiarism that was brought
to light and also exaggerated achievements, which I found really fascinating.
So he has been saying that he ran thirty marathons
in thirty five days, and then he did three hundred
miles in three days, and that he raised fifty five pounds.

(04:18):
So yeah, he's been labeled a fantasist. He's insisted he's
not a liar, but it did admit that there have
been some errors in his work. But he said, look,
I'm stepping down because of the level of public scrutiny
and there has been a lot and said, you know,
for personal reasons, but it shouldn't be mistaken for an

(04:39):
acceptance of some of the narratives that have surrounded me.
He feels there is it has been racially motivated as well.
The university has launched an investigation into him, they say
following new information about his academic qualifications and honorary appointments.

Speaker 1 (04:57):
Interesting. All right, hey, listen, Thank you, Elizabeth. Always good
to talk to you. Appreciated this Elizabeth Callahan, who's a
UK correspondent. For more from Hither Duplessy Allen Drive listen
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