Berkshire: Mental health referral rise 'due to there being more services'

Referrals have risen by more than 15,000 in five years, data suggests

Growing numbers of mental health referrals can be linked to a wider range of services being on offer, according to a health trust.

Figures from Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust indicate that referrals have grown from about 42,000 in 2018 to more than 58,000 in 2023.

The trust operates services in several areas, including at Slough's Upton and Wexham Park hospitals.

It has also seen a rise in requests for autism and ADHD assessments.

New services including the mental health integrated community service (MHICS) have been created over the last five years.

For children and young people, there is a new mental health in schools team (MHIST).

A spokesperson for the trust said: "We've also invested in a range of voluntary and community sector organisations to increase access to mental health services for Berkshire."

The data, which was supplied in response to a freedom of information request, also suggested there has been a drop in the number of people admitted to inpatient mental health care at the trust's facilities.

The spokesperson said this was due to structural changes that meant patients could be treated elsewhere.

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