Published yesterday by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), a report reveals the number of people in the UK who are waiting longer than three years to access mental health support.
The report highlights that:
- A million adults and children are waiting for a mental health “first contact” appointment in England
- Of these people, more than one in 10 are waiting up to three years or more for their first mental health appointment
- 42% are waiting for over a year – double the number on physical health referral to treatment list
At Everyturn we welcome the NHS’s newly-published 10 Year Plan, which emphasises a new focus on community-based, preventative support. But these statistics show how far we have to go.
Our CEO, Adam Crampsie, commented:
“These figures are deeply alarming. Behind every one of those million cases is a person who has been left to struggle alone, often in silence, for years. If this were cancer or cardiac care, the country would be in uproar. Mental health must stop being treated as the poor relation of the NHS.
“At Everyturn, we’re proud to work alongside the NHS to make sure people get timely care and support. But it can’t be all about waiting for overstretched statutory services. Community-based early support must be part of the answer, and that requires proper funding and a genuine commitment to shift care from hospital to community.”