April 30, 2020
This section covers information about mental health stigma, access and treatment, and provides recommendations for employers and resources on NGOs/National Campaigns in United Kingdom.
About 25% of people in the U.K. will experience a mental health problem each year. In England, about 1 in 6 people report experiencing a common mental health problem like anxiety or depression in any given week. Data from England and Wales show that only 1 in 8 receive treatment.62 Mental ill-health at work is the leading cause of sickness absence in the U.K. “In a recent survey two in five employees said that they had experienced a work related mental health issue in the last year while mental ill-health is estimated to cost an average of £1035 per employee per year.”63
Access and Treatment
- The NHS is the primary care provider of mental health services in England.64
- Services are free, but in some cases a referral from a general practitioner (GP) is required.65
- Depending on the issue, severity and need, services are provided by GPs, large local health centers, specialist mental health clinics or hospitals.65
Snapshot of the Health System Landscape
Total mental health workers: 318.9 per 100,000 population.
*According to data submitted to the World Health Organization (2014)
- The maximum wait time for all NHS consultant-led services is 18 weeks.65
- Individuals can also choose to access private mental health treatment by using private medical insurance or paying out of pocket.
- Non-NHS providers may sub-contract with NHS providers or be commissioned by Local Clinical Commissioning Groups, who are responsible for using a percentage of the health budget to purchase most services that are provided by secondary health care providers.
- This allows local governments, commissioners and patients, where appropriate, to decide which providers are most qualified to provide certain community and mental health services.64
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In October 2014, the NHS England and the Department of Health jointly published Achieving Better Access to Mental Health Services by 2020.66 In 2016, an independent Mental Health Taskforce brought together health care leaders, people who use the services and experts in the field to create a Five Year Forward View for Mental Health. These reports and recommendations are all part of the NHS’s strategy to revamp and improve mental health services in the country, with access to high-quality services, choice of interventions, integrated physical and mental health care, prevention initiatives, funding and interventions to challenge stigma as top priorities for changes needed to the system by 2020.11
Addressing Mental Health in United Kingdom
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Introduction & Full GuideAddressing Mental Health From a Global and Local Perspective
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Part 1Think Global: Strategies that Multinational Employers Use Worldwide
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Part 2Act Local: How Access, Stigma and Coverage Vary in Key Markets and Their Impact on Employer Offerings
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Part 3Addressing Mental Health in China
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Part 4Addressing Mental Health in France
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Part 5Addressing Mental Health in India
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Part 6Addressing Mental Health in Italy
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Part 7Addressing Mental Health in Japan
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Part 8Addressing Mental Health in Mexico
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Part 9Addressing Mental Health in South Africa
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Part 10Addressing Mental Health in Spain
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Part 11Addressing Mental Health in United Kingdom
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Part 12Addressing Mental Health in United Arab Emirates
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Part 13Mental Health Guide: Example Employer Tools and Resources
More Topics
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