1. Unprecedented and growing levels of distress are real<\/p>\n
The report is categoric that mental distress has \u201cincreased substantially across the population\u201d, is real and affects everyday functioning, and that the rise \u201ccannot be explained by greater awareness alone\u201d. About one in four 16- to 24-year-olds are now thought to have a common mental disorder such as anxiety and depression, up from one in six in 1993, while self-harm, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD and drug dependence have also increased.<\/p>\n
About 4 million children are in \u201cserious distress\u201d, and if current trends continue that could reach 4.5 million by 2030, the report says. At current rates self-harm cases could reach 2.5 million across England\u2019s population. But rates of severe mental illness such as bipolar or schizophrenia have remained much more stable, while hazardous drinking has declined.<\/p>\n
Chart of numbers of cases of mental health need<\/a>2. The system is failing everyone<\/p>\n With the cost of mental ill health standing at \u00a3300bn a year, \u201ccontinuing as we are is not sustainable,\u201d the report warns. \u201cNot for the people waiting weeks, months or years, becoming more distressed because help is locked behind waiting for a diagnosis; not for those with the most severe needs who cannot access specialist care; and not for a society paying the human and economic price of failing to support people to participate in family, community, education and working life.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Overdiagnosis of ADHD and autism is not yet widespread but is a growing risk<\/p>\n While the proportion of the population thought to have ADHD and to be autistic has remained broadly stable at an estimated 3.8% and 1.2% respectively, the recent exponential rise in those diagnosed, as well as even larger numbers waiting to be assessed, means we have reached a tipping point where people are at risk of being misdiagnosed with ADHD and autism, said Prof Simon Wessely, the review\u2019s vice-chair.<\/p>\n The report finds that the proportion of children aged six to 11 with an ADHD diagnosis has increased more than sixfold in five years, and for 12- to 17-year-olds more than 15-fold, to 2.7% and 3.9% respectively. And with more than 560,000 people waiting for an ADHD assessment and more than 254,000 for an autism assessment, the proportion of people with a diagnosis of ADHD or autism is expected to rise further.<\/p>\n ADHD diagnoses chart<\/a>Autism diagnoses chart<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis does not, by itself, establish that overdiagnosis is currently occurring at scale,\u201d the report states. \u201cHowever, the evidence suggests we are entering a phase in which the balance of risks between underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis may be changing, with the risks of misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis becoming increasingly important considerations for policy and service delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Private companies should be banned from advertising ADHD and autism assessments<\/p>\n The report finds that NHS spending on independent-sector ADHD services rose by 252% over three years and that private providers accounted for more than a third of NHS-funded autism assessments in the 2025-26 financial year. <\/p>\n Responding to the report\u2019s call for greater regulation, the health secretary, Yvette Cooper, said the government would \u201cmake all diagnostic assessments for ADHD and autism Care Quality Commission-regulated, so people can be confident that assessments are high quality and that the NHS is not being overcharged by independent or private providers\u201d.<\/p>\n