Mental health referrals increased in Shropshire after lockdown eased
Mental health referrals have increased in number and seriousness since “lockdown” restrictions were eased, according to a report by health commissioners.
The document says some crisis services were forced to suspend operations while the regulations, aiming to slow the spread of coronavirus, were in place, but many continued to offer a telephone service.
The report authors, who represent two NHS clinical commissioning groups and Telford & Wrekin Council say the county’s mental health, learning disabilities and autism plan is “largely unchanged”, but “a significant amount of learning” has emerged during the Covid-19 crisis.
Telford and Wrekin Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board will discuss the report when it meets remotely next week.
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The report, titled 'Mental Health Update September 2020', says: “Telford and Wrekin Council commissioned additional capacity from the local voluntary and community sector to support the mental health and bereavement needs of children and adults impacted by Covid.
“This includes virtual support groups, listening support and telephone support.”
Mental health and bereavement information pages on the coronavirus section of the council’s website were accessed “over 2,000 times”, the report authors add.
In a section about “crisis services”, the authors write that some, such as the Branches night-time service and Calm Cafes, closed but were able to offer a telephone service.
“Referrals to mental health services have increased since lockdown finished,” they add.
“There has not only been an increase in referrals but also an increase in the acuity of those being seen in services. Mental Health Act assessments have increased since the end of the lockdown.”
A “pan-mental health, learning disabilities and autism plan” was in place across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin before the pandemic, they write, adding: “The four priorities remain largely unchanged, which are: Enhancing the all-age crisis offer; developing community services for people with serious and complex mental health conditions; developing strategies for people with learning disability and for people with autism; and supporting trauma-informed approaches.”
The report, by Steve Trenchard, the interim Transformation Executive Director for Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin CCG, Telford and Wrekin CCG Mental Health and Learning Difficulties Commissioning Head Frances Sutherland and council Mental Health Commissioning Specialist Steph Wain, will go before the Health and Wellbeing Board on Thursday, September 10.
It says: “During lockdown the system worked well together to support the vulnerable individuals across the system. There has been a significant amount of learning in these unprecedented times. This learning will be taken forward in our planning for the next few years.”
