Community Mental Health Services Report Dec 2023
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Healthwatch Lincolnshire undertook research into people’s ' experiences of community mental health services in Lincolnshire. From August to October 2023, 91 people responded to their two surveys for service users and professionals.
67% of respondents found it “difficult” to access adult services.
66% found it difficult to access children’s services.
The main reasons for this (regardless of service) were:
- Lack of signposting.
- Difficulties contacting services and generally poor communication.
- The lack of available services.
- Long waiting times.
Overall, the majority of respondents rated services as “poor” in regard to the following areas:
Adults
- Addressing their needs - 72%
- Communication whilst waiting - 66%
- Information or support while waiting 56%
- Offering different forms of treatment not just medication - 60%
- Treated with care and concern - 58%
- Being listening to - 57%
Children
- Addressing your needs or making plans to do so - 83% (10)
- Involving you in decisions about your care - 83% (10)
- Treating you with care and concern - 75% (9)
- Offering you different forms of treatment not just medication - 67% (8)
- Listening to you - 78% (8)
63% of adults and 83% of children did not feel the support received had a positive impact on their mental health.
Professionals
- Experiences of making a referral were varied. Overall 55% of respondents rated their experience as “poor”.
Over the past six months professionals working in mental health service had noticed the following trends:
- An increase in more complex cases.
- A rise in the number of young people needing support for their mental health.