More people referred for urgent mental health support in Northumberland

People in crisis were referred for urgent or emergency mental health support at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust thousands of times in just a month, figures show.
People in crisis were referred for urgent or emergency mental health support at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust.People in crisis were referred for urgent or emergency mental health support at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust.
People in crisis were referred for urgent or emergency mental health support at the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust.

The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to more people reaching crisis point nationally because they are not receiving the help they need in time, according to mental health charity Mind.

NHS Digital data shows in May, crisis teams at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust received around 2,385 urgent new referrals, including 35 potentially life-threatening emergency cases.

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Five children were among those needing emergency help, while another 335 youngsters were the subject of urgent referrals.

Crisis teams, which offer an alternative to hospital admission where appropriate, are usually made up of experienced mental health staff and may include psychiatrists, social workers and nurses.

They step in to help where someone is considered to be experiencing a mental health crisis and may otherwise be admitted for inpatient support.

New referrals made on an urgent or emergency basis to the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Trust's crisis teams in May were down from the 2,525 recorded in May 2020.

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Leila Reyburn, from Mind, said the pandemic had affected the scale and severity of mental health problems across the nation, with more people experiencing issues for the first time and those with pre-existing problems requiring more urgent and acute treatment.

Calling for the Government to provide sustainable funding for NHS mental health services and community-based initiatives, she added: "Even before the pandemic, many people weren't getting the right support.

"The increase in urgent and emergency crisis referrals indicates people are not getting the support they need in time, and are reaching crisis point as a result – including self-harming, experiencing psychosis and suicidal thoughts.

"When people do not get the right mental health support early on, they are far more likely to end up in crisis."

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A Government spokesperson said: “Covid-19 has affected everyone in the UK and we recognise it has had a disproportionate impact on certain groups of people.

“Throughout the pandemic, community and crisis services have continued to provide support, including by using digital and face to face appointments.

"As we look beyond the pandemic, we remain committed to expanding and transforming mental health services in England, backed by £2.3 billion a year by 2023-24.”