Pembrokeshire politician highlights men's mental health crisis in Wales

Tindle News

Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Samuel Kurtz has highlighted the real challenges facing men’s health and mental health at the moment, by raising the subject at the Welsh Parliment chamber. “In meeting with Samaritans volunteers with Paul Davies MS in Haverfordwest, I was struck by one statistic - of the 436 suicides in Wales during 2024, 77.2% of those were men,” commented Mr Kurtz. “That’s over three quarters who were fathers, sons, brothers. Loved ones. The Centre for Social Justice’s report ‘Lost Boys: State of the Nation’ brought to light some of the real challenges facing men at the moment. “We need to talk about men’s health and men’s mental health. Break down the stigma and get men and boys talking.”

Transcript

00:00I joined Paul Davis in visiting the Samaritans branch in Haverford West and speaking to volunteers.

00:06This is the only branch south of Aberystwyth and west of Swansea and what was striking in talking to

00:12them about possible changes to the Samaritans was one statistic which in 2024 of the 436 suicides

00:21that took place in Wales 77.2% of those were men and you spoke last week Trevney that the Centre for

00:30Social Justice events kindly sponsored by my colleague Sam Rowland's event titled Lost Boys State

00:35of the Nation and that was a really telling evening and brought forward some of the real challenges

00:41facing men and young men in particular in Wales at this moment so could I please call for a statement

00:47on support for men men's health and men's mental health please. Thank you very much Sam Kurtz and of

00:55course I was pleased to come and speak at that very important event last week the Centre for Social

01:03Justice's report on Lost Boys it was the evidence was very important I was able to say a few words as

01:13as the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and it's very much a cross government issue as well in

01:18terms of of men men's young men particularly in terms of that focus and men's mental health but you

01:26also draw attention in the start of your question about how important Samaritans is and of course this

01:33is something where I know that the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing would want to respond to

01:39to that point but if you recall she also actually responded to a short debate a no-name demotion

01:46debate on this and I will again draw this to her attention but I thought there were some very positive

01:53features of that report and the discussion the panel was very valuable.

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