Millions with mental health needs not seeking NHS help, watchdog says

National Audit Office praises expansion of care but says soaring demand means delays will persist

Millions of people in England with mental ill-health are not seeking NHS help, and many who get it face long delays and a poor experience", a report says.

Long waits for care will persist for years because soaring demand, exacerbated by Covid, will continue to outstrip the ability of severely understaffed mental health services to provide speedy treatment, the National Audit Office (NAO) found.

An estimated 8 million people with mental health needs are not in contact with NHS services.

There are 1.2 million people waiting for help from community-based mental health services.

While the mental health workforce grew by 22% between 2016-17 and 2021-22, the NHS recorded a 44% increase in referrals over the same period.

In 2021-22, 13% of mental health staff - 17,000 people - quit.