Demand and activity
The latest mental health monthly performance data for July 2024, published in September, highlight the rapid growth of demand for mental health and learning disability services. It also shows the activity taken by trusts as they try to keep up with demand and meet key national targets. There were 1.95 million people in contact with mental health services in July, which is the highest number on record. Contacts are up by 11.7% compared to a year ago and are 40.4% higher than pre-pandemic levels (July 2019).
Number of patients in contact with mental health or learning disabilities services
Mental health referrals also remain considerably high as 457,917 new mental health referrals were recorded in July 2024. This is up by 9.8% compared to the previous month and up by 9.7% compared to a year ago. Compared to pre-pandemic levels, referrals are 35.3% higher (July 2019).
There were 1.67 million adult open referrals in July 2024, an increase of 1% since June 2024. Adult open referrals are up by 18.6% since a year ago and up by 19.9% compared to the same period before the pandemic. Meanwhile, children and young people open referrals have fallen in the latest month to 505,451, a decrease of 1.4% compared to the previous month. However, children and young people open referrals are higher than to a year ago (+5%) and remain considerably higher than pre-pandemic levels (+89%).
In the 12 months to July 2024, 797,328 children and young people accessed mental health services. This is up slightly by 0.1% compared to the previous month and up by 9.9% compared to a year ago.
Learning disability and autism (LDA) services
Learning disability and autism (LDA) services also continue to experience high demand. In July 2024, the number of people in contact with these services increased by 1.5% since the previous month and is up by 12.8% compared to July 2023.
One of the key actions for systems, mentioned in the 2024/25 priorities and operational guidance, is to discharge people with a learning disability with the longest lengths of stay into community settings and make progress on reducing the number of people with a learning disability in hospital. Latest monthly statistics on LDA patients from the Assuring Transformation (AT) collection shows that at the end of July 2024, there were 2,015 learning disabilities and/or autism inpatients. Over half of these (53%) had a total length of stay of more than two years, the same proportion to the previous month. This highlights the ongoing challenge of reducing long-term hospital stays for people with learning disabilities and underscores the need for continued focus on community-based support and improved discharged pathways.
Number of patients in contact with learning disabilities and autism services
Community mental health
Community mental health services are a vital component of the overall mental health care system, providing essential support and treatment to adults and children, within their local communities.
NHS England has begun publishing new core community mental health waiting time metrics which covers the percentage of patients receiving meaningful help within four weeks of referral to community mental health services. This data shows that in July 2024, 14,588 adults received a baseline outcome, care plan, intervention, and assessment from community mental health services; help was received within four weeks for 6.4% referrals. For children and young people, 24,367 received the help from community mental health services in July, with this taking place within four weeks for 20.6% of referrals.
Intervention-specific performance and waiting times
Eating disorders
The children and young people eating disorder standard states that by March 2020/21, 95% of children and young people who are referred for assessment or treatment for an eating disorder receives treatment within one week for urgent cases, and four weeks for routine cases. Between May 2024 and July 2024, 70.7% of patients with eating disorders categorised as urgent cases started treatment within one week and 74.2% routine cases started treatment within four weeks. Although this is an improvement compared to the previous month, both have missed the national target.
Talking Therapies
As highlighted in Lord Darzi's report, there has been notable success in some areas such as access to NHS Talking Therapies where key national targets continue to be met. In July 2024, 89.9% of referrals who finished a course of treatment in the month, accessed NHS Talking Therapies within six weeks, meeting the national waiting time standard of 75%.
Urgent and emergency liaison mental health services
In July 2024, there were 24,437 new referrals to liaison psychiatry teams from A&E with first face to face contact. Of these, 65% (15,833) first received first face to face contact within one hour. This is a similar proportion to the previous month. Lord Darzi's report also highlights that patients coming to A&E in a mental health crisis often have to wait longer than those without.
The evidence-based treatment pathway (EBTP) standard for urgent and emergency liaison mental health services states that any person experiencing a mental health crisis should receive a response within one hour. Therefore, the data shows trusts still have a way to go before this standard is met.
Percentage of CYP ED referrals accessing treatment within one week for urgent cases and four weeks for routine cases
