Last Friday, as part of the celebrations organised by the GHA to celebrate World Mental Health Day, the GHA’s Mental Health Services organised an awareness event which took place at the Midtown Park. The event was opened by the Minister for Health, Samantha Sacramento and the GHA’s Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Ashim Bettadapura. A number of activities were organised which aimed to engage the community and raise awareness about the importance of mental health and well-being.

On Friday evening, the Gibraltar Football Association’s men’s national team showed their support and helped raise awareness of mental health by wearing the GHA’s “Talking Head” t-shirt during their warm-up ahead of their FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Montenegro at the Victoria Stadium.

Sunday 10th October marked World Mental Health Day and the GHA’s mental health staff at Ocean Views organised a BBQ to mark the important day and to celebrate the creation and implementation if the National Mental Health Strategy. Discharged patients and past service users as well as key stakeholders and NGOs were invited to attend.

Finally, to mark the end of World Mental Health Day, the Moorish Castle was lit up with the image of the “Talking Head”, the logo that has been adopted by the Ministry of Health in its National Health Strategy and the symbol that is being used through the whole of the GHA’s Mental Health Services to promote mental health.

The Minister for Health, Samantha Sacramento, said: “I am delighted by the number of events organised this year around World Mental Health Day. I am particularly grateful to the GFA for wearing the GHA’s “talking head” t-shirt during their warm-up ahead of their match against Montenegro. Awareness is of course important and is a key component of the national mental health strategy. Of course the work undertaken is much more than awareness and an incredible amount of hard work on discharging services goes on, as well as tremendous efforts of a core working group to improve services even further. I would also like to pay tribute to all those who work in the mental health services and who go over and above the call of duty for the good of their patients, the services and the community.”