- Long waits harm mental health
- 7.61 million treatments pending
- New Pharmacy First scheme launched
Long waits for hospital and GP appointments seem to be fuelling a mental health crisis, as per official figures.
A quarter of 12,000 Britons surveyed blamed their poor mental health on delays.
Ed Davey, Liberal Democrats’ leader, accused the government of producing a mental health epidemic by not addressing NHS wait times.
“Individuals endure months waiting for hospital treatments or face difficulties seeing their GP as ministers have depleted local health services funds,” he said.
Another 18% of respondents in the Office for National Statistics survey felt delays adversely affected their physical health.
NHS England reported that, as of November 2023, there were 7.61 million pending treatments for 6.39 million patients.
A growing and ageing population, alongside a decrease in GPs, has patients scrambling for appointments, often waiting weeks.
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“People are left scared and sick as they and their loved ones can’t get the healthcare they urgently need,” said Sir Ed.
In response, Conservative mental health minister Maria Caulfield criticised the Lib Dems for criticism without offering solutions.
She highlighted the Pharmacy First scheme, launched this week, aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments, and the Every Mind Matters campaign, helping 1.2 million people access NHS talking therapies.
