'Demand outstrips staffing' for mental health line

The NHS mental health support first response service team receives more than 2,800 calls per month from the public

Patients have expressed concerns regarding long delays when calling an NHS mental health support line.

Calling 111 and pressing option two connects to a dedicated mental health support service operated by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT).

However, the recent Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthwatch meeting was told there had been delays in getting through since at least January.

The meeting heard from a CPFT representative who said the line was "extremely busy... at times, demand outstrips the staffing levels".

CPFT delivers a range of mental health and social care services, and is responsible for the Cavell Centre in Peterborough and Fulbourn Hospital near Cambridge.

The trust said the mental health advice line was one of the first in the country and on average its first response service team received more than 2,800 calls per month.

A CPFT spokesperson said: "The NHS 111 mental health advice line has proved invaluable in helping those in mental health crisis.

"Wait times on any day can vary depending on the number of calls and the team is consistently considering ways to enhance the service provided ensuring those who require support receive it in a timely manner."

Representing the trust at the meeting, held at the Fleet Community Centre in Fletton, Peterborough, Maisha Khanum said it was a work in progress to fix the delays.

She said phone calls were being reviewed to see if they were appropriate for the first response service or whether the promotion of other sources of support would be more helpful.

"Also, telephone system service is being reviewed to see if a more sophisticated system would support better management of the calls," she said.

'Stable financial position'

In January, the CPFT said it was facing a £8.8m deficit, but last week a board meeting said this had now been reduced to £800,000 after it received additional funding from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System.

The interim head of the trust, Scott Haldane, said he was working to get the service back to a "stable financial position".

The Healthwatch meeting, also last week, was told CPFT was expected to break even in April and, in the meantime, focus had been to ensure clinical services had not been affected by the financial recovery plan.