YORK Parliamentary candidates were grilled by students and members of the public on how they would improve mental health provision in the city, at the University of York on Tuesday night.

York Central candidates Conservative Robert Mcllveen, Labour Rachel Maskell, Liberal Democrats Nick Love and York Outer Green candidate Ginnie Shaw were on the panel to debate their parties’ key policies on mental health.

Ukip’s Paul Abbott standing as candidate for York Outer did not arrive and first year student and Ukip member Thomas Turton stood up to give his party a voice on the topic.

Mr Love said all candidates agreed the assessment system for detecting mental health problems was “bonkers” and was in urgent need of review in order to facilitate early intervention.

One employee from York Mind challenged the candidates on reducing the 18 months wait to book an appointment with a counsellor and the growing number of people on the waiting list, currently up to 89. Both Mrs Maskell and Mrs Shaw insisted on their parties’ commitment to cap the waiting time for talking therapy to a maximum of 28 days.

Mr Love told the audience a freedom of information request showed the City of York Council reserved only £2.60 to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies scheme (IAPT), which supports the NHS in providing routine first-line treatment.

He told the audience this was a ridiculous figure and that the scheme should be funded at least 25 per cent by the council.

The Liberal Democrat candidate also said: “Bootham park hospital is a Victorian asylum and needs to be replaced but it cannot because it is a protected building. We need a state of the art hospital that make York a center of excellence for mental health issues.”

Mrs Maskell emphasised on the necessity to improve working conditions and address the causes of poverty and inequality to reduce the risk of mental health conditions. “I will be working to build a world class service for mental health provision here in York,” she said.

Mr Mclleevn explained there had been many progresses made in recognising mental health as an illness but considering the deficit, more money in these services could not be immediately promised.

“Awareness is the key word, the more we talk about it, the less frightening it becomes,” he added.

Mrs Shaw noted eco-therapy sessions which are going ahead at Sir Nicholas Fields after a successful funding application, were part of the positive things which deserved to be encouraged.

All candidates agreed merging mental health and physical health provisions was an essential reform to improve care.

The Mental Health Awareness Project, a student run collective which raises mental issues in the student and local community, organised the event.

Yorkshire First and the TUSC are also contesting parties in York Central.