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Patients report waiting too long for mental health therapy on the NHS

Care Quality Commission asks 17,600 patients for their views on NHS community mental health services

Shaun Lintern
Health Correspondent
Tuesday 24 November 2020 10:37 EST
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More than two fifths of patients say they are waiting too long for therapy
More than two fifths of patients say they are waiting too long for therapy (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

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Almost half of patients who received NHS therapies in the last 12 months felt they waited too long to get help, with almost a quarter saying when they did get help it was not for long enough.

The figures, from a new survey of community mental health patients by the Care Quality Commission, highlight the strain on NHS mental health services.

The regulator’s survey of 17,600 patients who had care in the past 12 months found many people reported consistently poor experiences of community mental health services.

It also found 28 per cent of patients did not know who to contact if they suffered a crisis in their mental health out of office hours, and when people did try to get help, 17 per cent said they either couldn’t make contact or did not get the help they needed.

Two fifths of patients said they did not have the reasons for their medication fully explained to them and almost a quarter had no discussion about side effects.

More than a third of patients had not received any support for their physical health despite patients with mental health problems dying earlier than other patients.

Andy Bell, deputy chief executive of the Centre for Mental Health, told The Independent: “The survey once again shows how far we have to go to ensure everyone gets the support they need for their mental health. It’s especially worrying that a third of people using mental health services didn’t get the help they wanted for their physical health. 

"People with a mental illness die up to 20 years sooner than average in the UK and are more at risk of dying from coronavirus. So it is vital that no one is left without the support they need to stay physically well.

“The government has promised to invest in community mental health services through the NHS long term plan. It is vital that this promise is kept. But it will only succeed if the chancellor also funds vital social services and public health and invests in education and training to boost the mental health workforce to fill the gaps.”

The CQC found patients with more challenging conditions as well as those with dementia and other cognitive impairments reported worse than average experiences.

It also found differences in the experiences of people in different age groups, with those in the 18 to 35 age group reporting worse than average experiences, and those aged 66 and older reporting better than average experiences.

Patients who had been in contact with NHS mental health services for less than a year and people who identified as heterosexual also reported better than average experiences across many areas of care.

Dr Kevin Cleary, CQC’s deputy chief inspector of hospitals and lead for mental health, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on the delivery of community mental health services; many NHS trusts have adapted quickly to deliver face-to-face services virtually while other services were temporarily closed.  

“Some people will have been unable to attend their regular appointments with community mental health teams during the first national lockdown, which started in March – this will almost certainly have a knock-on impact on the number of people seeking crisis care. 

"It is therefore disappointing to see in this survey that people are having poor experiences of community mental health services, particularly in relation to crisis care, access and involvement in decisions about their care.”

A NHS England spokesperson said: “The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly had a negative impact on the mental health of many people and this is likely to have been reflected in the survey’s findings, but more people did actually rate their overall experience as either nine out of 10 or 10 out of 10, compared to the previous year.

“The extra £500m for mental health in the spending review will help tackle intensified need, while the NHS long-term plan is committed to treating 370,000 adults and older adults every year by 2023-4, and anyone who needs help for their mental health should continue to come forward for NHS support.”

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