Access to talking therapies
On this page, we talk about the difficulties people have in accessing talking therapies, and the changes we'd like to see.
How easy is it to access talking therapies?
Lots of people tell us that talking therapies, like counselling, really help them.
NHS Talking Therapies is a service in England that supports people with anxiety and depression. It used to be called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). It offers talking treatments to help people feel better.
But there are still far too many of you who are not getting the treatment you deserve when you need it.
We're a part of the We Need to Talk Coalition, a group made up of:
- Mental health charities
- Professional organisations
- Royal Colleges
- Service providers
We believe talking therapies work. Together, we are calling for the NHS to offer these treatments and make them even better.
"The assessment was incredible. I felt that someone finally understood. But when I was told that the wait after the assessment was 2 years, it felt like a real let down, offering a lifeline and snatching it away."
– Talking therapies service user
What we're fighting for
Getting the right therapy at the right time is really important.
It can help people manage their mental health – and sometimes fully recover.
Everyone should be able to get talking therapy within 28 days of being referred. You should also be given a choice of the type of therapy that works best for you.
We want:
- A full choice of proven talking therapies for everyone
- Mental and physical health to be treated equally
- More people to get access to therapy
- More research to make therapy even better
