Help with mental health lacking
THOUSANDS of people in the North East with mental health problems are being denied help, and often treatment, because of a lack of coordination in the NHS, according to a new report.
Its authors also say austerity contributed to a negative impact on services provided at a time when a 2018 YouGov survey revealed the North East had the highest percentage of people reporting mental health problems in the UK, while it also has the highest suicide rate.
The report was released by the Tyne & Wear Citizens Commission on Mental Health, the result of a series of public meetings held in Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham over the last year.
During that time they gathered over 300 testimonies from people aged 13 to 72 across the region about mental health, ill-health and wellbeing.
The commission, whose members included Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell, the Bishop of Newcastle the Rt Rev Christine Hardman and John Lawlor, chief executive, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust, unveiled its findings at a
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special assembly at Newcastle Civic Centre last night .
It found that although the government had stated that dealing with the growing problem of mental health had what they called ‘parity of esteem’ within the NHS, in reality, dealing with the issue often has much less priority than other NHS services.
Helena Medley, leader of the Commission’s Civil Society Campaign Team, said the region had suffered a “double whammy” as a result of the government’s austerity programme. First on jobs as the public sector was the region’s biggest employer, and secondly “its impact on well being generally”.
As well as identifying the issues, the commission has come up with a series of action plans to address them.
Ms Medley said: “We want communities to see they can come together and effect change. We need to be realistic, there aren’t quick magic solutions, but there are things than can be done.”
For instance school pupils with mental health issues told the commission that they have few or no places to turn for help.
As a result Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust has agreed to release 15 clinicians to participate in a pilot to promote mental health and emotional resilience in schools.
Meanwhile Ms McKinnell, as a member of the government’s Health and Social Care Committee, is to ask such a policy becomes mandatory in every English school.
Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to develop mental health training for all staff who have patient contact and develop a best practice protocol for distressed patients needing to travel home from A&E following assessment.
Durham University has been asked to provide funding and time for staff from the University Counselling Service to train as Mental Health First Aid Trainers and deliver training to groups of student leaders and staff within its colleges.
Also, the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, Durham County Council, Durham Constabulary and other partners to develop a suicide protocol, which includes debrief and local support for your respective staff.
Ms Medley said the report was not the end of the process but a starting point.
“We want people to get involved in the next stage of seeking change on this and other issues that are important to mental health across Tyne and Wear,” she said.
Public Health England and NHS England were also due to attend.