Dr , Labour's Shadow
Mental Health Minister, commenting on
the Royal College of Psychiatrists survey that shows 43% increase
in urgent and emergency appointments since lockdown, said:
“The scale of the mental health crisis that is emerging in
the wake of the coronavirus pandemic is truly alarming and should
serve as a stark warning for the government.
“With urgent cases rising, coupled with a fall in routine
treatments, there is a perfect storm ready to hit already
stretched mental health services. These changes in access to
services could see some of those most vulnerable dropping off the
radar.
“A growing demand for treatment will put pressure on mental
health services like never before. The government must ensure
that services have the resources they need to cope.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Royal College
of Psychiatrists has released the results of
their survey, today [Saturday].
2. Key
findings:
• 43%
of psychiatrists have seen an increase in urgent and emergency
cases following the COVID-19 lockdown.
• At
the same time, 45% of psychiatrists have seen a fall in their
most routine appointments, leading to fears of a ‘tsunami’ of
mental illness after the pandemic.
• Psychiatrists
are alarmed by both the drop-off in routine work, especially in
CAMHS and old age psychiatry, and by the increase in urgent
cases.
• RCPsych
is calling for investment in mental health services to be
prioritised to enable services to cope with a surge in mental
health cases after the COVID-19 peak is passed.
