Mental health services received a record 4.3 million referrals in 2021, according to analysis from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
The analysis of NHS Digital data revealed there were 3.3 million referrals to adult services and 1.025 million referrals of under-18s in England between January and December 2021, as the service continued to contend with the pandemic.
As Omicron hit the UK in December, a record one million people were receiving specialist treatment for conditions including addiction, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The month also saw the NHS deliver 1.8 million mental health consultations in December alone.
The data also revealed in December 2021:
- 424,963 children and young people aged up to 18 were in contact with mental health services, compared with 367,403 in December 2019 – a 15.7% increase;
- 642,303 adults aged 19 to 64 were in contact with mental health services, compared with 612,222 in December 2019 – a 4.9% increase;
- 1,834,137 appointments were made across mental health, learning disability and autism services compared with 1,599,584 in December 2019 – a 14.7% increase.
Commenting on the data, Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said the body’s warning of the “long tail of mental ill health” caused by the pandemic had not been heeded.
“Many thousands of people will be left waiting far too long for the treatment they need unless the government wakes-up to the crisis that is engulfing the country,” Dr James said.
“Staff are working flat-out to give their patients the support they need but the lack of resources and lack of staff mean it’s becoming an impossible situation to manage.
“We don’t need warm words or empty commitments. We need a fully funded plan for mental health services, backed by a long-term workforce plan, as the country comes to terms with the biggest hit to its mental health in generations.”
With 1.4 million people waiting for treatment, the Royal College of Psychiatrists called on the Conservative government to urgently publish a mental health recovery plan to reduce waiting times.
It added: “The plan must include funding to expand services, train more psychiatrists and replace crumbling mental health facilities across the country.”