30,000 more ambulance call-outs for mental health patients in 2016-17

The number of ambulance call-outs for people experiencing a mental health crisis in England has soared by 23 per cent from 2014-15 to 2016-17.

Paramedics helped 172,799 patients with mental health problems in crisis in 2016-17 compared with 140,137 in 2014-15, data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act shows.

An extra 55,000 hours were spent supporting people with mental health problems last year, compared with 2014-15, which shows an increase of 32 per cent. In London the time spent rose by 45 per cent.

Labour MP Luciana Berger, who made the request, holds the government responsible for the rise in people with mental health crises.

She said: “Jeremy Hunt has no other option but to introduce ring-fenced budgets for mental health to ensure funding reaches the frontline. The health secretary must take urgent action for the sake of patients and staff.

“Too much money pledged for mental health is not reaching the sector. In the absence of ring-fenced budget, funding is being diverted to prop up other areas of the NHS.”

The London Ambulance Service responded to more mental health incidents than any other trust, recording 51,717 calls in 2016-17, while the West Midlands Ambulance Service experienced the highest rise in mental health incidents, with an increase of 41 per cent.

The government recently announced that 21,000 new mental health posts would be created at a cost of £1.3 billion. Hunt said there would additionally be a major drive to retrain mental health staff.

The Department of Health said: “Mental health is a top priority for this government, which is why we are investing an extra £1 billion a year by 2020.”

While mental health campaigners welcomed the investment, the Royal College of Nursing quested whether the policy left enough time and funding to train new professionals.