Sagal Hassan and Dr Lisa Williams respond to the news that Wes Streeting has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised’

As a psychotherapist with child and adolescent mental health services, I welcome Wes Streeting’s change of heart on his comments about the “overdiagnosis” of mental health conditions, ADHD and autism ( I realise now that my view on mental health overdiagnosis was divisive. We all need better evidence, 4 December ). Political point-scoring has no place in public health.

By setting up this taskforce, Streeting acknowledges the complexity of the picture and that conversations must be led by research, where science and suffering can be held together.