Hestia hosts mental health panel at Labour Party Conference

Today Hestia hosted a Fringe event, Building Blocks of a Healthy Life, as part of the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool. The discussion highlighted the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration to address the mental health crisis. 

The session brought together key figures from across sectors including policymakers, charities, and the NHS. Speakers included: 

• Debbie Abrahams MP (Chair, Work and Pensions Select Committee) 

• Sojan Joseph MP (Chair, APPG for Mental Health)

• Lord Victor Adebowale CBE (Chair, NHS Confederation) 

• Abigail Ampofo (CEO, Young Minds) 

• Catherine Fallon (Area Manager, Mental Health Crisis Alternatives, Hestia). 

The discussion was chaired by New Statesman’s Spotlight editor, Phin Foster. 

From left to right: Phin Foster - Spotlight Editor at New Statesman, Catherine Fallon - Area Manager for Mental Health Crisis Alternatives at Hestia, Lord Victor Adebowale CBE - Chair at NHS Confederation, Debbie Abrahams MP - Chair for Work and Pensions Select Committee, Abigail Ampofo, CEO at Young Minds and Sojan Joseph MP - Chair for APPG for Mental Health.

The crisis in context 

Recent Hestia research revealed that 58% of adults in London have experienced three or more symptoms of poor mental health in the past year - up from 49% in 2024. This sharp rise shows the urgent need for cross-sector approaches to mental health. 

Left to right: Debbie Abrahams MP, Abigail Ampofo and Sojan Joseph MP

The conversation highlighted a shared determination to improve the way we support people experiencing mental health crises across the country, including the impact of wider determinants of health such as employment, housing insecurity, and poverty. 

The panellists called for a shift from debate to action, recognising the urgency of the situation: 

Sojan Joseph MP said: "We all know what the problem is, and we have talked about mental health for many years. What we need is some action now... 15 years ago, the whole focus was on reducing the stigma and encouraging people to reach out for help. Now demand for services has gone up and they can't cope - so now we need more focus and resources going into prevention and early intervention." 

Catherine Fallon, Area Manager for Mental Health Crisis Alternatives at Hestia, highlighted the importance of cross-sector approaches: “Some of the common issues that people bring to our services involve past trauma, isolation and relationship breakdown. We can't recover from past trauma if we don't have support networks in place. Mental health is so broad - we need broad responses, and community-based services can provide that”.         

Debbie Abrahams MP added: “Parity of esteem [with physical health] was being talked about 25 years ago. What we see now is that not only are common mental health conditions increasing, but it's also resulting in £118bn a year in lost productivity. It makes sense to have this all joined up”.  

Speakers also highlighted the need to access mental health support within communities.  

As Lord Victor Adebowale CBE said: “There should be some basics present in every community. There should be no wrong door. You should be able to go to your primary care practice and talk about mental health and wellbeing. That should be standard everywhere.” 

Abigail Ampofo, CEO at YoungMinds added: “Young people say to us that community is a protective factor for them. Mental ill health doesn't hit equally. What communities can do is provide access - it helps young people find access to support. The role of community can make such a difference.” 

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