Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Trust says mental health support is key for young people
Children’s mental health referrals in Herefordshire and Worcestershire have doubled since 2019
Last updated 16th Dec 2024
The Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Trust say they are continuing their work, so they can see and cope with the increase in the number of young people who are dealing with mental health issues.
Last month, it was revealed the number of children referred to the trust for mental health had more than doubled since 2019, from 2,460 recorded between 2019/20, to 5,367 in 2023/24.
Anxiety, depression and eating disorders were among the top referral reasons, with the number of national child mental health referrals topping one million for the third year in a row.
Dr Katie Powell is the associate medical director of the trust's children, young people and families service delivery unit, and she says having the right support in place can be vital.
"There have been very large increases in referrals for young people struggling with their mental health, and as a trust, we're continuing to invest in expanding services so that we're able to see more young people and see them quicker," she said.
"It's incredibly important that young people have access to good support for their mental health, and it's important to recognise that we can all play a big part in looking after our mental health in the same way as we might look after our physical health.
"We also know that early intervention reduces some of the more risky behaviours, and we know if our young people feel more supported, it lessens the impact on pretty much every aspect of their lives."
The average waiting time for children from referral to first appointment at the trust was 49 days (seven weeks) – above the national average of five weeks.
The trust also confirmed a maximum recorded waiting time this year of 847 days – that’s 121 weeks from referral to mental health services to a first appointment.