NHS urges Warwickshire residents to seek help with mental health problems

NHS healthcare experts in Coventry and Warwickshire are urging people to come forward and seek help for any mental health symptoms they may be experiencing.
Supplied picture.Supplied picture.
Supplied picture.

A new NHS campaign – Help Us, Help You – is encouraging anyone suffering from anxiety, depression or other issues to come forward for assessment and treatment.

Mental health services have been running in Coventry and Warwickshire throughout the pandemic.

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But the pandemic has caused a dip in referrals to mental health services - despite evidence the societal effects of the virus are making mental health problems more common.

GP services and online talking therapies are still open for any mental health concerns and you can contact your GP or self-refer to online taking therapies by visiting www.nhs.uk.

NHS talking therapies, also known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), is a confidential service run by fully trained experts.

Research by MIND, a mental health charity, showed that people were less likely to ask for help due to being worried that their problems aren't serious enough, or they are concerned about placing greater pressure on the NHS, or that they might contract Coronavirus.

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In April 2020 only 57,814 referrals were made nationally compared to 133,191 in April 2019.

The latest figures from August show that referrals are recovering but are still down by 11% compared to last year.

Dr David Spraggett, chair of South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “The NHS and its mental health services are still here for people in Coventry and Warwickshire.

"The pandemic and the lockdowns that we’ve had to live through have undoubtedly had an impact on people’s mental health.

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"Therefore, it has never been more important to seek help - please don’t suffer in silence, come forward for mental health care.

“Many people find talking about their mental health embarrassing, but this shouldn’t be the case.

"Mental health can affect anyone so please speak to your GP or self-refer online so you can get the support you need.”

Coventry and Warwickshire has a fantastic provision of IAPT services, staffed by committed and highly trained staff who can work with people from all communities.

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IAPT has seen more than one million people in the last year and has been fully running throughout the pandemic.

Almost 95 per cent of talking therapies were delivered remotely from July 2020 through a digital platform or over the phone.

Face-to-face appointments are also still available, and services have implemented new measures to limit infection risks.

Patients and members of the public who are registered with a GP in Coventry, Warwickshire, Rugby or Solihull can access the local IAPT service through self-referral or by being referred by a healthcare professional.

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To find out more about the Coventry and Warwickshire IAPT service, and how to access it, visit the Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust’s website.

If English is not your first language, talking therapies can be delivered in your chosen language too.

The earlier people can receive support for their mental health, the more likely they are to benefit from treatment.