A survey by the Royal College of GPs has revealed that only 15% of GPs can usually get psychological therapy for adults who need it within two months of referral. For children the figure is only 6%.
The survey, detailed overleaf, was carried out as part of a new Campaign calling for better access to psychological therapies, spearheaded by the mental health charity Mind and the economist Professor Lord Richard Layard, with support from the RCGP, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the New Savoy Partnership.
Launched at Westminster, the campaign challenges all of the political parties to make a guarantee in their election manifestos to offer, within five years, evidence-based psychological therapies to all who need them within 28 days of requesting referral.
RCGP Chairman Professor Steve Field said “Patients are entitled to the treatments which NICE recommends. There has been substantial improvement in the last few years but there is a long way to go. It is essential that the current programme of Improved Access to Psychological Therapy is completed in the next Parliament with adequate funding for training and for employing extra therapists. The same is needed for children. Even if there is a financial squeeze, the evidence is that this will save the country money.”
Professor Lord Layard, Programme Director for Wellbeing at the London School of Economics, urged the importance of improved access for patients. He said: “Mental illness is perhaps the greatest single cause of misery in our country. For those who experience it, the least we should offer is the same standard of care we would automatically provide if they had a physical illness. Politicians who committed to this would receive a huge vote of thanks from millions of families in this country.”
Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of mental health charity Mind, said: “Talking therapies can save lives, and when someone is assessed as being in need of counselling or CBT, it is crucial that they can start treatment as soon as possible. Waiting months and months for urgent treatment would not be acceptable for patients with other health problems, and it should not be acceptable for patients with depression. Doctors need to be able to offer patients the best possible treatments, and not be stuck prescribing drugs that don’t work for everyone because they can’t get the appropriate talking therapies for their patients fast enough.”
Source:Royal College of General Practitioners
