Diolch, Lywydd. Rwy’n falch o gael cyflwyno’r cynnig yma. Rydw i’n edrych ymlaen at y drafodaeth y prynhawn yma, a hithau yn wythnos lle rydym ni wedi bod yn nodi Diwrnod Rhyngwladol Iechyd Meddwl.

Yn gyffredinol, rwy’n meddwl bod yna ddwy fath o drafodaeth rydym yn eu cael pan fyddem ni’n siarad am iechyd meddwl: yn gyntaf, y ffordd mae’r gwasanaeth iechyd yn ymateb i bobl sydd angen triniaeth. Er enghraifft, yn aml mi soniwn ni am driniaeth yn cael ei gadael yn rhyw hwyr, ac yn y blaen. Mae’r ail yn ymwneud â’r ffordd mae cymdeithas yn ehangach yn ymddwyn tuag at y rhai sydd efo neu sydd wedi bod â phroblemau iechyd meddwl. Bwriad y ddadl yma heddiw ydy trafod yr ail agwedd yna. Mae’n anodd iawn trafod y ffordd orau o gael mynediad at driniaeth i bobl yn sydyn, ond os bydd y gymdeithas yn ehangach yn rhwystro adferiad pobl drwy wahaniaethu, er enghraifft, yna bydd wastad cyfyngiadau ar beth all yr NHS ei gyflawni.

The bare facts I think speak for themselves. One in four adults are likely to have a mental health problem in any one year. This will have a profound impact on their lives and ability to sustain relationships, employment, or perhaps just to get through the day. Equally challenging is the estimate that only about a quarter of people with a mental health problem receive ongoing treatment, leaving the majority of people grappling with mental health issues on their own. The latest estimates from the labour force survey show that stress accounted for 35 per cent of all work-related ill health cases and 43 per cent of all working days lost due to ill health. The cost of mental health problems in Wales is estimated at £7.2 billion a year, and this includes the cost of health and social care provided for people with mental health problems—the cost to the Welsh economy as a result of people being unable to work due to their distress. The cost associated with poor mental health in the workplace amounts to nearly £1.2 billion a year alone, equivalent to £860 for every employee in the Welsh workforce.

Often, front-line staff in our public services are more likely to experience problems than people in other industries, and also less likely to receive help. This is why we have specifically asked for public services to examine how their own practices can be improved as part of this motion.

It is, sadly, beyond doubt that widespread discrimination adds to the problems faced by people with mental illness. Many people with mental illness are subjected to systematic disadvantages in many—you could argue most—areas of their lives. These forms of social exclusion occur at home, at work, in personal life, in social activities, in healthcare and also in the media, too.

But the Time to Change campaign has been effective in challenging certain aspects of discrimination, and attitudes towards people with mental illness are more favourable, according to the survey, in 2014 than they were in 2008. I’ll give you response rates to a number of statements given as part of that survey. The first one: ‘anyone with a history of mental problems should be excluded from public office’—from 21 per cent agreeing in 2008, that fell to 16 per cent agreeing in 2014. Another statement: ‘it’s frightening to think of people with mental problems living in residential neighbourhoods’, down from 16 per cent agreeing to 12 per cent. ‘I would not want to live next door to someone who has been mentally ill’, down from 12 per cent to 9 per cent. ‘People with mental illness should not be given any responsibility’, down from 15 per cent to 11 per cent. So, a move in the right direction, but, of course, those figures are still far, far too high, and it says a lot about attitudes in society. It’s still the case that problems persist.

Employment is one area where people with mental health problems are less likely to flourish. They’re less likely to be in employment and, when they’re in employment, they’re less likely to be given help. Unemployment and mental health problems appear to have a causal link both ways. People with mental health problems are much less likely to be in paid employment and people who have been unemployed for at least six months are more likely to develop depression or other mental health conditions, so creating a cycle of problems.

I’ll give you one figure: around a third of new jobseeker’s allowance claimants reported that their mental health deteriorated over a four-month period, while those who entered work noted improved mental health. My colleagues will elaborate on those points in their own contributions this afternoon.

Rydym ni hefyd wedi tynnu sylw at addysg yn benodol yn y cynnig yma. Rydym ni’n gwybod bod llawer iawn o ymyrraeth yn digwydd yn y blynyddoedd cynnar er mwyn sicrhau bod plant yn cael y dechrau gorau posib, ond mae’n dod yn fwyfwy amlwg i ni fod yr arddegau’r un mor bwysig. A dyna pam rydym ni am i ysgolion fod yn barod i hybu iechyd meddwl da ymhlith yr holl ddisgyblion.

Mae yna arfer da; mae yna waith rhagorol yn cael ei wneud yn barod. Roedd yr Samariaid yn y Pierhead yma yn gynharach yn yr wythnos yn amlinellu’r cynlluniau sydd ganddyn nhw i weithio efo ysgolion ar draws Cymru. Mi oedd hi’n dda siarad efo tîm Hafal yn y Cynulliad echdoe, yn siarad am eu cynllun Clic, sydd yn creu fforwm ar-lein ar gyfer pobl ifanc a hŷn sydd am gael cymuned i drafod yr hyn sydd yn eu poeni nhw oherwydd y problemau iechyd meddwl. Mae camau fel hyn i’w canmol.

Yn olaf, mae’n rhaid inni gydnabod bod hybu iechyd meddwl da hefyd yn ymwneud â’r amgylchedd ehangach. Mae angen mynediad at fannau gwyrdd, mae angen mynediad at weithgarwch corfforol, fel rydym ni wedi bod yn ei drafod mewn dadl yn gynharach heddiw. Dyna pam byddwn ni’n gwrthod gwelliant y Ceidwadwyr. Mae therapïau siarad yn bwysig, ond nid dyna’r unig beth ychwanegol y dylai wasanaethau cyhoeddus eraill fod yn ei wneud. Mae’r gwelliant yn rhy gul a dyna pam rydym ni’n mynd i fod yn pleidleisio yn erbyn hwnnw.