The Centre for Mental Health has published a new report which shows that people who have complex mental illnesses are often not able to access the care and treatment they need.
The Health Economics And Relational Disorder (HEARD) study also found that intensive psychotherapeutic support can help reduce hospital admissions, the lengths of stay and the use of emergency services while also bringing down NHS costs.
Dr Lade Smith CBE, President of the Royal College of psychiatrists, said:
“People who have complex mental illnesses that affect the way they experience relationships and relate to others often have many other co-existing problems. They are some of the most vulnerable in our society, having often experienced severe early-life trauma.
“The complexity of their need is such that the services that are available are not able to treat them effectively. Too frequently they end up in hospital and stay there for prolonged periods of time.
“We have a responsibility to ensure these patients receive the best care that is evidence-based, person-centred, addresses all their needs and is delivered in a timely manner as close to home as possible.
"The evidence outlined in this innovative HEARD study in England is extremely compelling. It shows that intensive psychotherapeutic support provided locally can deliver better outcomes for these vulnerable people as well as making smarter use of NHS resources —something we simply cannot afford to ignore.
“There is strong evidence that this approach reduces stays in hospital, the need for emergency care and out of area placements while also significantly cutting costs for the NHS.
“It is clear the mental health system already has the expertise and innovation needed to address mental health challenges, what is required now is the commitment to implement, sustain and expand these solutions. A positive first step would be to support wider piloting of this approach across England.”
The HEARD study was commissioned by the Talking Therapies Taskforce, formed of organisations including the Medical Psychotherapy Faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych), The British Psychoanalytic Council (BPC), The Association for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy in the Public Sector (APPP), The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and The Society for Psychotherapy Research, UK Chapter (SPR UK).
For further information, please contact:
- Email: press@rcpsych.ac.uk
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