Mental health: what matters most?

During 2018, Healthwatch Wiltshire were informed by the local people that provision of mental health services, including for children and young people, should be their priority for the year ahead.

Healthwatch Wiltshire volunteers contributed by sharing the survey, attending events, carrying out interviews plus an enter and view visit, and entering data. Information was collected from interested members of the public or professionals, individuals who had previously used mental health services or had family or friends who had used the services.

The key concerns raised included access to services and long waiting lists, stringent criteria and complicated access pathways and quality of the services. Crisis support in difficult times was highlighted as crucial and so was maintaining people’s mental health to remain active in their local community.

Other concerns included difficulties accessing out of hours services; lack of awareness about available support; unclear referral processes; problems transitioning between services; lack of access to a range of services including psychiatrists, services related to bereavement, post-traumatic stress disorder and military redeployment.

The report recommended to consider ways to make services more straightforward and improve crisis support when people are near to or in crisis; to ensure the views of young people are heard; for services to work together to support people in the community to reduce the likelihood of reaching crisis.

Healthwatch Wiltshire planned to work on these concerns and prioritise on access to mental health services for adults, children and young people.