If you are suffering from mental health problems, you will be far from alone. But the fact that so many people do need help raises the question of whether the collective response from the NHS, local authorities and other bodies is as good as it should be.
This question has become more pertinent following major concerns being raised about the standards of care in mental health facilities in England. Among these is the question of the provision of face-to-face therapy.
The Daily Telegraph reported that while the number of people undertaking therapy on the NHS in England rose during the Covid pandemic, from 554,709 in 2017-18 to 644,087 in 2020-21 (according to NHS England figures), this period saw a huge increase in the numbers being sent to online providers.
The paper revealed that private providers were paid by the NHS to provide online sessions to 32 per cent of those treated in 2020-21, compared with only ten per cent in 2017-18.
While social distancing may have been a major part of this equation, there does appear to be a move towards a more established regime of online treatments. Chief executive of the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network Sean Duggan recently said this may work better for many people with busy lives, but also acknowledged some might feel “excluded”.
Those in the latter camp may feel a clear need to see a therapist in west London, as this could provide the face-to-face contact many patients will yearn for and could benefit from.
Indeed, such therapy could prove invaluable in helping you make progress with your condition in a way that might not be achieved online, especially if a feeling of exclusion makes it hard for you to take much from an online session.
Getting the therapy you need is not just a matter of convenience; it is also important in ensuring you have the sort of help that prevents your condition from deteriorating. Without the right intervention, some people will find their situation gets worse either to the point where they seriously self-harm or take their lives.
Alternatively, some might find their mental health gets so bad they are hospitalised, which is not just a matter of stigma or distress; sadly, sometimes such places can fail to provide the care needed.
At the end of June, health secretary Steve Barclay announced a national investigation into mental health services in England, with an investigation into the deaths of mental health in-patients in Essex being given statutory status.
Minister for mental health Maria Caulfield said: “Our ongoing work in response to the review will help trusts and facilities identify ways to improve and ensure every patient receives safe, exemplary care.”
Chief executive of mental health charity Mind Sarah Hughes welcomed the news of the enquiries, but added: “There is a lot of hard work ahead to make sure that today’s commitments to raise the standard of inpatient mental health care really deliver for people with mental health problems.”
The government action may be good news for mental hospitals, but for some people, getting the right face-to-face therapy at an early stage could help prevent the kind of downward slide to the point where they might need to spend time in such an institution.