Sunak backs Gp-level mental health care to ease pressure on NHS
A CAMPAIGN for quicker access to mental health care has been backed by the Chancellor, as pilot schemes found it dramatically reduced pressure on hospitals.
Tory and Labour MPS have urged ministers to boost provision of help in GP surgeries amid a large increase in demand for talking therapies in the wake of the pandemic.
Despite levels of depression nearly doubling since the first lockdown, NHS figures show a fall in the number of GP referrals to psychological treatments.
In February, James Starkie, a former advisor to cabinet ministers Michael Gove, Priti Patel and Dominic Raab, started the No Time to Wait campaign in The Daily Telegraph.
Mr Starkie described his battle to get help from the NHS when he was at his lowest ebb and his determination to improve access for others.
The campaign, which is calling for the rollout of mental health nurses in GP practices, was quickly backed by
MPS from across the political spectrum. They include Jonathan Gullis, a Conservative MP who wrote about his history of self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Mental health charity Mind and the Royal College of Nursing have also thrown their weight behind the campaign.
Yesterday, Rishi Sunak hosted a reception at No11 Downing Street, thanking campaigners for raising awareness of the issue – and for their personal bravery in speaking out about their experiences of poor mental health. Declaring Mr Starkie “a hero”, Mr Sunak pledged: “We will back you every step of the way,” in the campaign to boost provision of mental health care.
Those at the event said pilot schemes in Norfolk, which placed senior mental health nurses in GP surgeries, led to the vast majority of patients receiving help far more quickly, without having to wait for a referral to secondary care.
Vicky Russ, from Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said areas that deployed such senior nurses had been able to help 97 per cent of cases without involving secondary care – speeding up access for patients.
Previously, the majority of patients visiting their GP because of mental health concerns had to wait for a referral for hospital care or talking therapy services, she said.
The specialist nurses are able to assess patients, offer counselling and explore triggers for mental health problems. They also suggest practical steps patients can take to stabilise their emotions and anxieties.
Ms Russ urged health officials to roll out such schemes far more widely, highlighting estimates suggesting that four in 10 patients visiting GPS are doing so because of a mental health problem.
Mr Sunak paid tribute to campaigners yesterday, highlighting the role of this newspaper for shining a spotlight on the topic.
“You have all played an integral role in raising awareness for this issue, which still too often remains in the shadow of other more visible illnesses [and] can be equally as dangerous and as damaging,” the Chancellor said.