Soaring demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services to be reviewed

A reappraisal into the rising request for intelligence health, ADHD and autism services has been launched by the wellness secretary.

The autarkic reappraisal volition look astatine rates of diagnosis, and the enactment offered to people.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the contented needs to beryllium looked astatine done a "strictly objective lens" aft helium claimed successful March that determination had been an "overdiagnosis" of intelligence wellness conditions, with "too galore radical being written off".

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Mental wellness conditions are being much commonly reported among the working-age population, figures analysed by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found.

More than fractional of the summation successful 16 to 64-year-olds claiming disablement benefits since the pandemic is owed to much claims relating to intelligence wellness oregon behavioural conditions.

A full of 1.3 cardinal radical assertion disablement benefits - 44% of each claimants - chiefly for intelligence wellness oregon behavioural conditions, the investigation shows.

The reappraisal volition beryllium led by starring objective scientist Professor Peter Fonagy, the nationalist objective advisor connected children and young people's intelligence health, who volition enactment with academics, doctors, epidemiological experts, charities and parents.

He volition look astatine what is driving the rising request for services, and inequalities successful accessing support.

The Department of Health said 13 times much radical were waiting for an autism appraisal successful September 2025 compared with April 2019.

There is £688m successful other backing going towards hiring 8,500 much intelligence wellness workers truthful the NHS tin grow connected talking therapies and summation the fig of intelligence wellness exigency departments.

Mr Streeting said: "I cognize from idiosyncratic acquisition however devastating it tin beryllium for radical who look mediocre intelligence health, person ADHD oregon autism, and can't get a diagnosis oregon the close support.

"I besides know, from speaking to clinicians, however the diagnosis of these conditions is sharply rising.

"We indispensable look astatine this done a strictly objective lens to get an evidence-based knowing of what we know, what we don't know, and what these patterns archer america astir our intelligence wellness system, autism and ADHD services.

"That's the lone mode we tin guarantee everyone gets timely entree to close diagnosis and effectual support."

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Prof Fonagy said: "This reappraisal volition lone beryllium worthwhile if it is built connected coagulated ground. We volition analyse the grounds with attraction to understand, successful a grounded way, what is driving rising demand.

"My purpose is to trial assumptions rigorously, and perceive intimately to those astir affected, truthful that our recommendations are some honorable and genuinely useful."

The findings volition beryllium published adjacent summer.