Government tackle decline in mental health with sickness from work at 13-year high

The Government must take action to prevent people falling mentally ill as well as reducing long waiting lists for support, according to a report from more than 30 charities.

The study, A Mentally Healthier Nation, warns the UK’s mental health is getting worse, with depression and anxiety prevalence expected to rise by 16% by 2040.

Sickness absence from work is at a 13-year high, with mental ill health accounting for around half of the 1.8 million people a year absent due to illness and injury.

Furthermore, between 2017 and 2022, rates of probable mental disorder among 17 to 19-year-olds more than doubled from 10% to 26% and increased in other age groups, the research said.

To tackle this, the study argues there needs to be a focus on preventing mental ill health, which is heavily influenced by social and economic factors such as poverty, cuts to public services and employment.

The report, published by the Centre for Mental Health, is intended to inform the UK Government’s consultation on its 10-year plan to improve mental health and services.

It said more needs to be done to cut child poverty, improve housing and provide effective support for children and families to enjoy better mental health through early years care, schools and well-funded public health services.

“By effectively addressing social determinants, like poverty and discrimination, and environmental factors, including housing and pollution, more of us can have better mental health,” the authors said.

Measures are needed to ensure “everyone can afford a healthy life with enough money and a decent home” through a minimum income guarantee, reforming sick pay legislation and providing more social rent homes.

Reforms are also needed to the benefits system, it added.

The report argued steps are needed to “create healthier physical environments by accelerating the switch to cleaner energy and transport; better incentivising insulation, active travel and public transport; ensuring everyone can access green space; and improving protection from junk food, smoking, alcohol, gambling and pollution.”

The authors said nobody should struggle to get help for their mental health or be sent to hospital far from home.

The Government must “tackle long waits for mental health support by implementing new access and waiting time standards for child and adult mental health services, with sufficient resources to achieve them”.

Centre for Mental Health chief executive Andy Bell (pictured) said: “More and more people are seeking help for their mental health. Even with recent growth in NHS mental health services, care is being rationed because the system is overwhelmed. We have to turn this around…

“We call on the Government to act now and on all political parties at the next general election to commit to a long-term plan to create better mental health for all.”

Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: “Years of underfunding and lack of investment in mental health services has left many people without the life-changing and life-saving support they need.

“The cost-of-living crisis is taking a toll on people’s mental health with a sharp rise in demand for mental health services, which are already struggling to meet the needs of the 1.4 million people waiting for community-based mental health care.

“This is not a problem that will fix itself. Mental illness must be treated with the same urgency and attention as physical illness, starting with a detailed road map that values people with mental health problems as much as it does those with physical health problems, that truly delivers parity of esteem.

“To do this we need an ambitious cross-Government strategy for mental health and mental health services.

“This report provides a strong set of recommendations to support this goal.”

Dr Sarah Hughes, chief executive of the charity Mind, said: “An unprecedented number of people are struggling with their mental health, and support services in England are on their knees.

“A severe lack of funding, which has built up over many years, means that record numbers of people are waiting for the treatment they need.

“As a result, more and more people are reaching crisis point. To truly tackle the mental health emergency, we need to focus on the causes, not just the effects.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “We’re going further and faster to transform our country’s mental health services, with up to an additional £2.3 billion being invested annually until 2024 to expand services, so an extra two million people can get the support they need.

“Our Major Conditions Strategy will look at the prevention and management of the six conditions, including mental health. It will be informed by last year’s mental health call for evidence.

“The mental health workforce continues to grow and we’re also investing around £200 million from this year to modernise and digitise mental health services across England – including digitising the NHS talking therapies programme.”

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