Therapy access barriers
Long waiting times and accessibility restrictions for vital psychological therapies for mental health inpatients.
235 items
10 sources
4 inquiries
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
PFD report
99match
Stephen Kennedy
A patient couldn't access recommended psychological therapy due to internal service barriers and long waiting lists. Additionally, a severe lack of acute inpatient mental health beds led to further self-harm and suicide attempts.
Matched on
terms: acces, barrier, therapy
Committee recommendation
91match
#30 - Ensure all victims needing counselling and pre-trial therapy can access it.
The Government must ensure that counselling and therapy, including pre-trial therapy, can be accessed by all victims and survivors who need it. We welcome the Government’s funding for Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) but are mindful of Rape Crisis England and Wales’ warning that the demand is for long-term counselling and therapies, which is not receiving as much...
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PFD report
87match
John Haines
Mental health inpatients and those supported by Home Treatment Teams lack timely access to qualified psychological therapy, a repeated concern due to commissioning issues and long waiting lists.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
Committee recommendation
86match
#28 - Ask Law Commission to publish early recommendations on pre-trial therapy and disclosure of notes.
We welcome the fact that the Law Commission’s project will be covering access to counselling and therapy notes and records. However, we are concerned that, as the Law Commission will not be reporting until summer 2023, victims and survivors could be left without the mental health support they need for longer than is acceptable. We recommend that the...
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
Committee recommendation
82match
#18 - Muslim women in frontline services endure anti-Muslim abuse and face mental health barriers.
It is deeply saddening that Muslim women working in frontline services such as healthcare settings are having to endure anti-Muslim abuse while performing their duties in helping others. Reports of a lack of support from colleagues and employers are also troubling. Anti-Muslim discrimination, harassment and abuse can have lasting mental health impacts. Yet Muslims can face barriers in...
Matched on
terms: acces, barrier
Committee recommendation
82match
#26 - Rape victims fear accessing mental health support due to disclosure concerns.
We were particularly concerned to hear that victims and survivors of rape may feel they need to—or are advised to—put off accessing mental health support as they fear that their counselling or therapy notes and records could be disclosed to the defence or undermine their case in some way. This is unacceptable given the traumatic impact of rape.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PFD report
81match
Graeme Kidd
Locum doctors lacked access to vital electronic records and awareness of mental health services, while GPs faced referral barriers due to mandatory physical checks. Additionally, patients lacked essential medication advice in the prescribing doctor's absence.
Matched on
terms: acces, barrier
PFD report
81match
Jane Bush
Persistent delays in mental health assessments and access to psychological therapy are driven by ongoing staff recruitment and retention issues, hindering the Trust's ability to manage increased demand for complex cases.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PFD report
81match
Isobel Stapleton
Mental health practitioners lack easy access to complete patient records across Wales and NHS England. Acute and home treatment teams also suffer from a lack of clinical psychologists and lengthy psychotherapy waiting lists.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
Committee recommendation
78match
#27 - Jobcentre environments often lack accessibility and welcome, undermining efforts to support claimants.
Jobcentres are not places that people want to go to. They are often run-down and lack basic facilities, including accessibility features. An intimidating security presence can create additional barriers for some. It will be important that when people walk through the door of the new service, it does not look and feel similar to now. Such an outcome...
Matched on
terms: acces, barrier
Committee recommendation
78match
#42 - Improve access to CAMHS and adult mental health services for young people with severe conditions.
The Government must improve access to Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services for those children and young people with more severe mental health conditions and whose education is often interrupted for months or years at a time by the long waits for services and treatment. (Recommendation, Paragraph 161)
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
77match
Emma Timbrell
Patients with suicidal ideation were given a non-free out-of-hours crisis number, creating a financial barrier to accessing urgent mental health support for those with limited means.
Matched on
terms: acces, barrier
PFD report
75match
Daniel France
A vulnerable young person known to the County Council and Mental Health Trust did not receive timely support, facing a long wait for psychological therapy, potentially dangerous given the risk of impulsive acts; there were also considerable delays in obtaining appointments for the Gender Identity Clinic and a shortage of psychological therapies.
Matched on
terms: therapy
Committee recommendation
74match
#21 - Ensure NHS provides culturally competent therapy and fund tailored support for Muslim communities.
The Government should set out steps to ensure that the NHS can provide religiously and culturally competent, trauma-informed, and accessible therapy for those in need, including Muslim communities. 52 The Government should also fund local support services tailored to the needs of Muslim communities, particularly those of Muslim women. (Recommendation, Paragraph 97) Tackling anti-Muslim hatred
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
Committee recommendation
74match
#18 - Publish and implement urgent national access and waiting time standards for integrated care.
We heard that one way to track progress on integration would be through the establishment of national access and waiting time standards. The absence of national standards contributes to inconsistent access and undermines parity with physical health. NHS England should publish and implement these standards as a matter of urgency. (Recommendation, Paragraph 120)
Matched on
terms: acces
Committee recommendation
74match
#1 - Severity gap reveals unacceptable failing in timely access to mental health care
Timely access to mental health care is not just a matter of convenience— it is a matter of safety, dignity, and equity. Delays in care can lead to preventable crises, greater distress, poorer outcomes, and higher costs to the system. The severity gap, where people fall between high and low intensity services, reflects an unacceptable failing of the...
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
73match
John Derwent
Excessive waiting times for CBT (12 months) due to insufficient capacity and ineffective escalation mechanisms between commissioning and service providers prevented timely access to essential mental health treatment.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
73match
Arun Viswambaran
Excessive waiting times of up to 18 weeks for IAPT therapy and difficulties in contacting the team risked mental health deterioration and disengagement from services.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
73match
Michelle Jennings
Critically long national waiting lists for mental health therapy, inconsistent application of referral/discharge policies, and a lack of proper consideration for mental health vulnerabilities during prosecutions, with no clear mechanism for sharing lessons.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
73match
Paul Chase
There is a critical lack of mental health, alcoholism, and addiction support for veterans, both serving and after release. Resources are extremely limited, leading to extensive waiting times for essential treatment and therapy.
Matched on
terms: therapy
Committee recommendation
70match
#42 - Make FCDO security and mental health expertise accessible to local NGOs upon request.
Beyond funding, the FCDO should explore how it might make its in- house security and mental health expertise, particularly at diplomatic mission level, accessible to local NGOs as requested as appropriate. (Recommendation, Paragraph 81)
Matched on
terms: acces
Committee recommendation
70match
#7 - Many FGM survivors lack access to appropriate specialist counselling services
FGM survivors often suffer psychosexual, emotional and mental health complications from undergoing FGM. However, many FGM survivors do not have access to appropriate counselling services, with many FGM services not offering any counselling to FGM survivors and others offering counselling which is not appropriate or tailored for their needs. (Conclusion, Paragraph 27)
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
69match
Rowena Golton
Critical shortages and significant waiting times for psychological services within crisis teams hinder adequate provision and timely access for vulnerable patients.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
69match
Heather Carey
Insufficient funding and staffing led to excessively long waiting times for urgent psychotherapy, which was not comparable to physical life-threatening illnesses, causing distress and increasing suicide risk.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
69match
Patricia Ferguson
Community Mental Health Teams in Nottinghamshire have inadequate clinical psychologist staffing, leaving some patients without access to essential psychological services, which poses a risk of preventable deaths.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
69match
Aleksandra Markowska
Patients receiving services from BPAS lack direct, confidential access to NHS perinatal psychiatry teams for pregnancy-related mental health decline, hindering timely and private support.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
65match
Janette Insley
Inpatients lacked access to psychological treatment due to unavailable psychologists and resources, with an overemphasis on community services, leaving vulnerable patients without support post-discharge.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
65match
Simon Klineberg
Concerns include insufficient psychiatric bed availability, inadequate resourcing for home treatment teams, and significant waiting lists for psychological therapy, especially for high-risk patients.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
65match
Danyon Chesters
Significant delays in accessing NHS mental health services led to fragmented private care, lack of information sharing between professionals, and private therapists not reviewing medication, impacting the deceased's treatment.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
65match
James Tice
There is a critical lack of beds for informal mental health admissions for older adults and insufficient community psychotherapy services for their needs.
Matched on
terms: therapy
CQC action
64match
Taplow Manor
The service must ensure that young people have access to the recommended psychological therapy as outlined in best practice guidance and that young people have access to meaningful activities seven days a week.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PPO recommendation
64match
The Head of Healthcare of HMP Holme House
The Head of Healthcare should ensure that prisoners have access to appropriate therapy services, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, following major surgery.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PFD report
63match
Joy Burgess
Mental health patients face 'chaotic' ward environments unsuitable for recovery due to resource limitations, alongside lengthy waiting times (around one year) for psychological therapies.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
62match
#24 - Jobcentres require deeper integration with voluntary and community sectors to address complex employment barriers.
Many people who use Jobcentres have multiple and complex needs, which can act as barriers to them securing employment. Too often, issues that prevent people from finding jobs go unaddressed. Jobcentres and Jobcentre staff will not be able to address these barriers on their own. If DWP is serious about increasing employment, it will need to look beyond...
Matched on
terms: barrier
PFD report
61match
Michael Worrall
The limited availability of psychological therapy at Avesbury House risks adverse outcomes for patients, particularly upon discharge to the community if prior therapy is discontinued.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
61match
Guy Robinson
The 'AWOL' protocol was improperly applied due to staff unfamiliarity, lacking Trust-wide implementation. A significant service gap exists with no inpatient clinical psychology access, disadvantaging vulnerable patients.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
61match
David Hamilton
Healthy Minds lacked documentation for therapy selection, clarity on referral triggers, and a formal escalation process for concerns. Limited information sharing between health professionals meant an incomplete patient picture.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
61match
Marjorie Walker
A DNA CPR was not completed according to protocols, and significant delays affected access to specialist pain clinics. Furthermore, health professionals showed a lack of understanding regarding kidney function monitoring for pain medication like Gabapentin, increasing overdose risk.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
61match
Amarnih Lewis-Daniel
Extremely long waiting lists for Gender Identity Clinics, coupled with a severe lack of local support and specialist knowledge in mental health services, and unclear responsibilities for patient welfare, are intensifying distress.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
61match
#27 - Work with CPS to enable urgent publication of pre-trial therapy guidance.
We recommend that the Government work with the Crown Prosecution Service so that it is possible for the organisation to publish its guidance on pre-trial therapy as soon as possible. We understand the Crown Prosecution Service has been waiting on the Attorney General’s annual review of disclosure, but it has now been more than 18 months since the...
Matched on
terms: therapy
Committee recommendation
61match
#41 - Accelerate Mental Health Support Team rollout for 100% post-16 coverage by 2029-30, publishing impact data.
The Government’s pledge of 100% MHST coverage by 2029–30 must be met and must include all post-16 students and trainees. We recommend that Government accelerates the rollout of Mental Health Support Teams with a particular focus on expanding coverage for post-16 settings, which has not kept pace with coverage for primary and secondary schools. In addition to 98...
Matched on
terms: acces
Committee recommendation
60match
#27 - Address occupational demands and cultural barriers preventing rural workers taking time away.
The Government should look at how to respond to the occupational demands placed on farmers, agricultural and veterinary workers and any cultural barriers that: prevent these workers from taking time away from work, are detrimental for mental health without opportunity for respite, or are a block on taking time off when sick or injured to recover and to...
Matched on
terms: barrier
PHSO casework decision
60match
P-002305 - Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Mr O complains the Trust did not give him step four mental health therapy in a timely manner between 2019 and June 2023. He complains it did not act on letters from his GP and consultants because he does not fall into the Trust's priority category. He also complains it treated him differently because he wanted to be...
Matched on
terms: therapy
PHSO casework decision
59match
P-001120 - Bury CCG
Mrs E complains the CCG granted her thirty-six sessions of therapy but refused to provide them and denied her access to mental health services.
Matched on
terms: acces, therapy
PFD report
57match
William Higgleton
A critical lack of psychotherapy services for patients with anti-social personality disorder means their primary treatment is unavailable, creating a risk of future deaths.
Matched on
terms: therapy
PFD report
57match
David Read
After an initial urgent referral and a cancelled appointment, a new appointment for mental health services was scheduled after a delay of over 16 weeks, during which time the patient died.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
57match
Jack May
Inadequate university mental health services, characterized by long waits and limited appointments, combined with patchy, poorly trained pastoral support from personal tutors, allowed students to "slip through the net."
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
57match
Kerry Hunter
The proposed in-house Borderline Personality Disorder service access pathway may inadvertently exclude patients due to their condition's characteristics, like avoidance and previous negative treatment experiences.
Matched on
terms: acces
PFD report
57match
Carole Mitchell
Significant regional and national backlogs for mental health therapies and limited bed capacity caused care delays and distant placements. Health professionals also misunderstood patient confidentiality, hindering crucial information gathering from families.
Matched on
classifier match
PFD report
57match
Amanda Hesketh
The practice failed to systematically review patients on multiple repeat analgesics or create individual plans, relying on repeat prescriptions without specialist input. There were also concerns about limited access to specialist pain clinics and underutilization of practice pharmacists for complex pain management.
Matched on
terms: acces