\n Editor Nigel Burton said: \u201cWe know the country is facing a mental health crisis with too many patients and not enough resource to meet their needs.\n<\/p>\n
\n “Mental health provision is the Cinderella service of the NHS.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cBut as our shocking figures reveal today, keeping patients waiting for months and sometimes for years is simply not on.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cSomething has gone badly wrong. The government owes it to patients, and their families, to find out what and put it right as soon as possible so that everyone gets the help they need, when they need it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
\n TEWV has said that, as an NHS trust, it has \u201cno role or influence on public inquiries\u201d as \u201cthese are a matter for the government\u201d, adding: \u201cWe will co-operate fully as required with openness and transparency.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe work with some very vulnerable people, and continue to take every opportunity to improve the care we provide and have made substantial changes over the last few years.”\n<\/p>\n
\n TEWV provides mental health and learning disability services for York, as well as North Yorkshire, County Durham, Darlington and Teesside.\n<\/p>\n
\n The figures obtained by The Press refer to the whole area covered by the trust.\n<\/p>\n
\n They revealed that waits experienced by adult patient for their first contact from the trust after GP referral \u2013 referring to face-to-face, telephone or virtual contact \u2013 has continued to increase over the last five years.\n<\/p>\n
\n In total, 331 mental health patients had been waiting at least a year for their first contact from the trust as of July 1.\n<\/p>\n
\n For children and young people, the wait time for a first contact peaked at 68.3 days (just over two months) in 2022, then decreased to 54.02 days in 2023, and fell further to 34.6 days last year.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n The average wait time from referral to treatment at the trust was 34.6 days last year for adults and 48.22 days for children and young people.\n<\/p>\n
\n Wait times for starting treatment have fluctuated over the five years for both age groups. For adults, the longest wait was 48.2 days in 2023. For children and young people, the longest wait was 169.1 days in 2022.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\n The TEWV spokesperson said: \u201cAs one of the biggest NHS trusts in the country, we serve a population of two million people across the North East and Yorkshire.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cFrom 2020 to 2024 we experienced a 25 per cent increase in referrals, reflecting the national picture of increasing demand for mental health services.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cAlthough the majority of our patients are seen in a timely manner, we are sorry if some people are experiencing longer waits.\n<\/p>\n
\n \u201cWe continue to work hard with our commissioners and partners, including schools, voluntary, community and the social enterprise sector, to reduce wait times across our trust.\n<\/p>\n
\n “These partnerships ensure people get support as quickly as possible and have seen waiting lists reduced to around three weeks in some areas.\u201d\n<\/p>\n
‘Findings lay bare the huge inadequacies’ of TEWV, says MP<\/p>\n
\n York Central MP Rachael Maskell said the \u201cfindings lay bare the huge inadequacies\u201d of TEWV, while York Outer MP Luke Charters said they confirmed that \u201cfar too many people are left waiting too long for vital mental health support\u201d from the trust.\n<\/p>\n