Data obtained by the Labour Party has revealed patients waited an
estimated 5,473,551 hours in A&E for mental health
treatment in 2021/22.
This equates to a total delay across England, in the past year
alone, of 624 years.
The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust had the longest number of
hours that patients waited in A&E for mental health treatment
at 1,005,709 hours in 2021/22. This is followed by King's College
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, with 851,375 hours and Norfolk and
Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at 654,397
hours.
Previous Labour Party analysis showed the long waits faced by
children in A&E for mental health treatment was an estimated
901,640 hours.
Labour will take a preventative approach to mental health
treatment, recruiting thousands of additional staff to ensure
treatment within a month. We will provide access to a mental
health professional in every school and an open access mental
health hub for young people in every community.
Dr , Labour's Shadow
Cabinet Minister for Mental Health, said:
"Waiting lists are soaring and patients are being left to
languish in Emergency Departments, instead of receiving
appropriate mental health treatment. Mental healthcare was
already playing catch up; sadly, services are now on their knees.
"The Government must formulate a plan to bring down backlogs and
ensure that patients get access to the vital care that they so
desperately need.
"Labour has a truly preventative plan for mental health services
that will put patient care first. We will guarantee mental health
treatment within a month for all who need it, by recruiting
thousands of new mental health, paid for by closing tax
loopholes."
Ends
Notes to editors:
- Data is based on an FOI request sent to NHS Trusts on asking
for "Total time, in hours, adults spent in A&E, each year,
since 2010, where their chief complaint was mental health
related." 76% of NHS Trusts responded. Data available upon
request.
- Data on children's waiting in A&E for mental health
reasons is also from an FOI sent to NHS Trusts, asking for "Total
time, in hours, children spent in A&E, each year, since 2010,
where their chief complaint was mental health related."
-
The total per annum cost of Labour's mental health policy
package by 2028/29 (the last year of Labour's first term in
office) would be an estimated £1.016bn. This will be paid for
through the following fiscal measures:
- Scrapping the 'carried interest loophole', a tax loophole
enjoyed by a small number of private equity fund managers,
which would raise £440 million per annum to fund an expansion
in the mental health workforce;
- Levying VAT on private school fees, which would raise
£1.7bn per annum in total, £576m of which would be used to
fund mental health hubs and specialist mental health support
in schools.
