Mind responds to NHS mental health services monthly data
NHS Digital has today published its monthly mental health services dataset for March 2024. The statistics provide the most up-to-date insight into a range of mental health services. Key findings include:
- 1,521,324 million adults and 541,230 children were in contact with mental health services at the end of March
- 21,527 people were subject to the Mental Health Act – a five-year high
- 825 inappropriate Out of Area Placements were active – a five-year high (February 2024 data)
- 33,800 urgent adult referrals to crisis care teams
- 4,073 under 18 urgent referrals to crisis care teams – a five-year high
Gemma Byrne, Policy and Campaigns Manager at Mind, said:
“Stark trends like these have now become commonplace in mental health care. It’s easy to become desensitised to these statistics when we are confronted by them on a monthly basis. But behind every number is a person navigating the bleak reality of trying to access mental health support in 2024. NHS staff are working tirelessly to support people, but there is a limit to what they can do when faced with decades of underinvestment and a surge in demand.
“If the UK government is truly passionate about the nation’s mental health and helping people return to work, it may want to reflect on today’s figures and recognise that far from a sick note problem we have a sickness problem. And that too many of us are waiting far too long to get the help we need, often in crumbling hospitals far away from loved ones.
“The government must ask itself why so many of us are reaching mental health crisis point – meaning we could not keep ourselves or others safe. The priority of the UK government now should be to invest in mental health services, address safety failings and pass long overdue reforms to the outdated Mental Health Act.”
