Psychiatrists forecast a 'tsunami' of mental illness

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned that mental health services are dealing with a rise in urgent and emergency cases but also preparing for a ‘tsunami’ of mental illness still to come.

A survey of over 1,300 mental health doctors from across the UK reveals that 43 per cent of psychiatrists have seen an increase in their urgent and emergency caseload while 45 per cent have seen a reduction in their most routine appointments.

They are increasingly concerned that many patients are staying away from mental health services until they reach a crisis point. Psychiatrists also say that the current coronavirus pandemic has also made it much harder for services to offer routine appointments despite rapid adoption of new ways of working, such as remote consultations and social distancing.

The survey results suggest that the biggest drop-offs in routine care have been in mental health services for older adults, for children and young people, and within general hospitals. This is raising concerns that self-isolation and shielding, school closures and fear of hospitals are impacting on the numbers of patients accessing treatment for mental health. The biggest rises in urgent and emergency cases have been for psychiatrists working with adults and those working in general hospitals

Wendy Burn, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists said: “We are already seeing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on mental health with more people in crisis. But we are just as worried about the people who need help now but aren’t getting it. Our fear is that the lockdown is storing up problems which could then lead to a tsunami of referrals. Mental health services will be at risk of being overwhelmed unless we see continued investment.”