Mental health services in Jersey will get an extra £3.5m

The Jersey government hopes to increase support for young people suffering from mental health problems

Mental health services will receive an extra £3.5m in the next year as part of the Jersey government's new strategy.

The Mental Health Strategy for Jersey, 2016-2020, includes plans for improving access and support for young people.

A report by the health scrutiny panel in June 2014 into mental health services found Jersey was failing young people and their families.

Health Minister Andrew Green said the government would be "working much closer with our GP colleagues".

The government found 88% of people who completed an online survey between January and February thought that "there was not enough mental health promotion in Jersey."

The Jersey health budget is about £207m and figures for extra mental health spending have not yet been agreed for the years 2017 to 2020.

Health Minister, Andrew Green, said: "Mental health has been the Cinderella story for so many years, something we didn't talk about, something we didn't acknowledge."

"When someone's ill, they're ill, whether mental or physical."