The rise of social media is having a negative effect on our national mental health, and the major players need to rise up and “be part of the solution,” according to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Speaking at an Education Policy Institute (EPI) event in London, the Cabinet member warned that social media was “having an impact on the general wellbeing” of Britons, by encouraging “unhealthy” behaviours, such as constant comparison.

He called for a “national conversation” about the links between poor mental health and social media, voicing particular concern for the younger generation.

The Health Secretary said that bullying had become “inescapable” since the advent of cyber-bullying.

“When people of our age were being bullied at school you could slam the door and escape from it; spend the weekend with your parents and get away from it,” he said

“But now there is no escape from it; everything is just there constantly in your face.

“The point is that technology is the solution to so many things, but we need to challenge social media companies to be part of the solution,” he urged.

“I think social media companies, who are often fantastically profitable companies with a strong social purpose, need to come up with ways where they can be the solution to the problem of mental ill health and not simply the problem,” he said.