Opinion: Data reveals long mental health waiting lists in Northampton

Since 2010, the Conservative Government have cut one-in-four mental health beds across the country, as waiting times for treatment have soared. Across NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board, there were 3,790 children on waiting lists in December and 14,330 adults.

Many mental health services are at breaking point after 13 years of Conservative Government – staff are overstretched, and NHS services have been neglected for over a decade. The result is that hundreds of thousands of people are turned away from services without having any treatment. Across NHS Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board in December, 2005 referrals were closed before the patient received any treatment, a staggering number.

Labour have a plan to tackle these problems, by recruiting thousands more mental health staff, guaranteeing treatment within a month, providing access to a mental health professional in every school.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Mental Health, said: “Waiting lists are soaring and patients are left receiving inadequate treatment, all as a result of the Government failing on children’s mental health. Once again, it’s the most vulnerable paying the price for the Tories’ shocking neglect.

“After 13 years of Conservative mismanagement of our NHS, children are being left to languish in Emergency Departments, instead of receiving appropriate mental health treatment. Mental health services are now on their knees.

“The next Labour Government will prioritise a truly preventative plan for mental health services and will put patient care first. We will ensure access to mental health professionals in every school and put an open access hub in every community, funded by closing tax loopholes. This is in addition to guaranteeing mental health treatment within a month for all who need it, by recruiting thousands of new mental health staff.”

"These figures demonstrate just how much our community, and our children, are suffering as a result of the lack of mental health provision. Children should not need to go to A&E because they can't receive treatment in the community. Our children deserve much better – it's why Labour will enshrine a preventative approach to mental health, opening mental health hubs for children and young people locally and making sure that all of our local schools have access to a mental health professional."