The government today announced that it is to spend an extra £13 million on a range of initiatives including wider access to talking therapies to help cope with rising rates of depression and anxiety linked to rising unemployment.
The department of health has already set up 35 talking therapy services and 81 are due to open this year. It has trained some 1,100 people to deliver Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
They build on the success of pilot talking therapy schemes established in 2005 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire and Newham in East London that are already providing speedy access to treatments such as CBT with average waiting of only two weeks after a clinical decision to treat, down from an NHS average of around 14 months.
The DoH says more than half those treated by the pilots achieved "measurable recovery", in line with NICE evidence from clinical trials, and the number going to work rose by 10%.
Around six million adults in the UK have depression or anxiety and many of these remain on incapacity benefits as they are unable to seek work. In past recessions, ministers say the number of out-of-work people on inactive benefits rise, so this is one element of action being taken to prevent this happening again.
Health minister Alan Johnson said the extra £13 million will fund:
- A faster roll out of talking therapy services around the country throughout 2009 with services beginning to be available in every area by 2010.
- Employment support workers linked to every talking therapy service, providing job support for people with common mental health problems and help people back to work.
- Health advisers on a dedicated NHS Direct phone line being trained to spot people who might be experiencing depression because of economic problems and refer them to help.
- Better online advice and information about the availability of services near to people's homes through NHS Choices
The investment will also provide more training for staff in primary healthcare teams, helping them to recognise mental health problems that could be due in part to the economic downturn. The NHS is being encouraged to work with local partners to develop the public's skills in managing their mental wellbeing as a life skill.
There is not yet any indication that the economic downturn is having a negative impact on disadvantaged people in the labour market; in fact, the numbers of people on Incapacity Benefit are still falling. But the government is determined to act to prevent people falling into long-term worklessness.
At the same time, primary care trusts will be encouraged to use up to £80m of savings made by the NHS due to the temporary reduction in the rate of VAT to commission complementary services - including debt advice and family counselling - wherever there is local need.
Mr Johnson said: "In the current economic downturn, the potential exists for more people to become anxious or depressed and experience lower levels of mental well-being.
"If someone is feeling down after losing their job, then the best solution is a new job and we're helping people to find them wherever possible. But in some cases, depression and anxiety can be a barrier to getting another job."