BARNSLEY has been ranked in the top ten communities with the highest rates of anti-depressant prescriptions.
Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley Central, said the new statistics from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation were ‘deeply concerning’.
He added: “I know that while our NHS and local mental health charities are doing their very best to provide vital services, they are struggling to cope with demand and thousands are struggling with their mental health, not least given the current cost of living crisis.
“I don’t think it’s coincidence that the top ten communities are all in the north, this is the reality of the government’s failure to tackle regional inequality, this is the devastating human cost.
“It shouldn’t be the case that your mental health outcomes are determined by where you live.
“Everyone deserves the opportunities to fulfil their potential and I’ll be raising my very serious concerns about these statistics in Parliament.”
