AN ISLE of Wight Councillor has called for the council to address ‘substandard’ mental health services on the Isle of Wight.

Independent Green councillor, Michael Lilley, will put forward a motion at tonight’s full council meeting, asking the council to reaffirm its commitment to the aims and objectives of the Local Authority Mental Health Challenge, which it signed up to in 2017.

He asks that this reaffirmation be an annual event until there is a ‘significant reduction in suicides, suicide attempts and the numbers of children and adults attending secondary mental health services’ on the Isle of Wight.

Cllr Lilley is proposing a series of meetings called ‘Island Voices’ where Island residents experiencing mental health issues can speak to decision makers, commissioners and service providers.

Cllr Lilley said: “Over the last 12 months, there have been a number of initiatives to attempt to improve services on the Island but many Island residents are still receiving a poor service.

“I have been to many meetings where there are promises and blueprints for improvements, but I still get weekly reports of large and long waiting lists, wrong diagnosis, poor service and cuts in service.

“I hear about heart breaking stories and observe the increase in serious case reviews due to critical incidents.”

The first meeting will be held at Aspire Ryde at 1pm today (Wednesday).