Labour reveals the reality of mental health crisis as Government sticks its head in the sand

England is in the grips of a deadly crisis in youth mental health while the government continues to deny the problem, Labour has today claimed.

On Friday, Rishi Sunak suggested that many people suffering mental health problems were just experiencing "the everyday challenges and worries of life", and should not receive medical support. That follows Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride claiming in recent weeks that the "mental health culture" had “gone too far”.

However, in new analysis Labour has highlighted the severity of the crisis in youth mental health care under the Tories, with increasing numbers of people dying by suicide, detentions under the mental health act rising, and more young people in crisis than ever before.

Labour has made tackling the crisis in mental health a cornerstone of their mission to get the NHS back on its feet and make it fit for the future. The next Labour Government will deliver 8,500 additional mental health staff, specialist mental health support in every school and an open access mental health hub in every community. This plan is funded by scrapping tax loopholes for private schools and private equity fund managers.

An increase in young lives lost to suicide and young people being admitted to hospital for self-harm

• In 2022, 1,500 people aged between 15 and 34 died by suicide, with the rate of suicide among 15-19 year olds increasing by 64% since 2010.
• Self-harm is now the second most common external (non-disease related) reason for hospital admissions for 10-17 year olds in England, more than transport accidents, assault and medical complications combined.
• To drive progress on tackling suicide, Labour's health mission set a target to ensure a falling trend in the rate of lives lost to suicide within five years. No suicide rate, whatever its trend, is acceptable.

Detentions under the mental health act skyrocketing

• Last year, there were 51,000 detentions under the mental health act, an increase of 5,448 (12%) compared to 2016. 1-in-3 (17,801) detentions last year were for people aged 34 and under.
• According to the NHS, people detained under the Mental Health Act need urgent treatment for a mental health disorder, and are at risk of harming themselves or others if they don't receive specialist treatment.

More young people in crisis than ever before

• Over the last 12 months, a record 780,000 children and young people have been in contact with mental health services. This has increased by 200,000 since April 2021.
• There are currently around 840 very urgent and urgent referrals of children to mental health crisis teams every week in England. Since April 2023, there have been 40,000 of these referrals made to mental health crisis teams.
• In February 2024 alone, there were 3,655 urgent referrals – a 320% increase compared to the same month in 2019.

Mental health medication increasing at an unprecedented rate

• Last year, there were 95,000 patients aged 15-29 prescribed drugs for psychoses and related disorders. This represents an increase of 15% compared to 2015/16.

Labour's analysis echoes concerns made by a number of charities, experts and those affected by mental ill-health. Last month the Children's Commissioner claimed that children were being treated like 'second-class citizens' when it comes to mental health care, with reports that children have to attempt suicide several times before being able to receive mental health treatment.

Wes Streeting MP, Labour's Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, said:

"We are experiencing an unprecedented crisis in mental health care, with children and young people crying out for support.

"For the Conservatives to be attempting to make mental ill health another front for their culture-wars is not just tone deaf, it's shameless and irresponsible.

"Instead of attempting to cover up the scale of the problem, the next Labour Government will give people the support they desperately need. We'll roll-out 8,500 mental health staff to cut waits, put mental health hubs in every community and support in every school, to help people back onto their feet.”

Ends

Notes

Data tables 

Source: Office for National Statistics - Suicides in England and Wales (published 19 December 2023)

Latest data from the ONS shows the overall suicide rate continues to rise: Deaths caused by suicide by quarter in England - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

Note: Suicide rates are based on the year of death registration. Because of registration delays, many of the deaths registered in a single year will have occurred in previous years, so there is some uncertainty in the annual figures.

Source: Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity, 2022-23

Source: Mental Health Act Annual Times Series Dashboard - NHS England

England: detentions under Mental Health Act 2021 | Statista 

Source: Mental Health Services Monthly Statistics - NHS England Digital

Source: Medicines used in Mental Health - England: 2015/16 to 2022/23

Children in contact with MH Services

Source: Children and young people accessing mental health services - NHS England

Note: This measure presents the number of children and young people accessing mental health services in the last 12 months. The data points above represent a 12 month rolling period, so people reported in December 2021 would have accessed services within 2021. 

• "[...] with Mel Stride claiming that mental health claiming that mental health culture had gone 'too far'" 
• • Mental Health culture has gone too far, says Mel Stride - Telegraph
• "According to the NHS, people detained under the Mental Health Act need urgent treatment for a mental health disorder, and are at risk of harming themselves or others if they don't receive specialist treatment."
• • Mental Health Act - NHS England
• "Last month, the Children's Commissioner claimed that children were being treated like 'second class citizens'
• • The scale of the Child Mental Health Crisis revealed - ITV News
• "With reports that children have to attempt suicide several times before being able to receive mental health treatment"
• • Suicidal children have to ‘make several attempts' before accessing NHS mental health services - Times