Mental health care and support* was needed for an additional 23% of people in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to analysis of its year-on-year data. The organisation believes many issues are driving this demand, including a lack of access to primary care and ever-stretched NHS mental health services. In fact, since November 2023, NHS England has reported on longest waits for referrals to adult community mental health services.

Assessment leads to better outcomes

While effective therapy is extremely powerful and has the potential to transform lives, it is imperative that people are given access to the right type of support for their particular symptoms or condition, the wrong type of therapy can put recovery back.

A specialist mental health practitioner needs to carry out a full assessment to ensure the individual is directed to the correct type of support in order to ensure the best outcomes

Christine Husbands, commercial director, RedArc said: “Understandably, when an individual is feeling low, depressed or has anxiety, it’s not unusual for them to seize whatever support is offered to them, or whatever is currently popular, regardless of whether that support is suitable. It’s vital to recognise the vulnerability of those with mental health conditions and offer a full assessment in order to direct them to the most appropriate support.”

What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right

For instance, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and counselling are both well-known therapies, and both have their merits when recommended following an assessment, but there are also a vast number of other lesser-known therapies that may be more appropriate.

When the range of mental health support on offer is limited, and individuals are required to self-select their own therapy, there is greater potential for the wrong choice to be made, or even for people to be turned away, resulting in poorer health outcomes.

Similarly, there are drawbacks when therapies are time-limited, which can be the case when mental health support is not comprehensive. It can take great courage for someone to ask for mental health support and it is important that support is available for as long as it is required to ensure that the individual has time to fully deal with the issues involved.

Christine Husbands, commercial director, RedArc said: “Starting the wrong course of treatment can delay the progress of the individual in making a good recovery. Mental health therapies should only be recommended by those who fully understand the appropriateness and advantages of different types and have a full spectrum of options at their disposal.”

*According to RedArc