The medical organisation has called for “urgent action” to ensure that more people are seen for follow-ups within 72 hours of being discharged from inpatient care, in order to prevent them from “falling through the cracks when they are so vulnerable.” Suicide risk is highest on the second and third days after leaving a mental health ward, but 37,999 follow-up appointments with patients were not scheduled between April 2020 and May 2022 in England. According to NHS data, only three-quarters (76%) of the 160,430 instances when patients were eligible for follow-up care within 72 hours of discharge from acute adult mental health care occurred within that time frame. A target of at least 80% of people being followed up on within this timeframe was introduced in 2019-2020, but it was never met. According to the most recent data from the Office for National Statistics, 4,912 suicides were recorded in England in 2020, with the male suicide rate at 15.3 per 100,000 and the female suicide rate at 4.9. The Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling for more trained specialists to conduct risk assessments on those deemed at risk, which they say will necessitate increased staffing and funding. We simply can’t afford to let people fall through the cracks at a time when they are so vulnerable,” said Dr Adrian James, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. It is critical that our mental health services are properly staffed and funded in order to provide proper follow-up care and help prevent suicides.” “Staff are working as hard as they can to provide high-quality care, but current resources are clearly insufficient to meet these targets.” We need immediate action to address the workforce crisis and meet the suicide prevention targets outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan.” “NHS mental health services are treating more people than ever before, whether for talking therapies, eating disorders, or people with severe mental illnesses receiving care in the community,” said an NHS spokesperson. The NHS has set an ambitious target of 72-hour follow-up appointments, up from seven days previously – this is in addition to a range of support in place, including 24/7 crisis telephone lines across the country – and anyone struggling with their mental health should come forward and get the help they need.” “We are improving mental health services, which will see over £2.3 billion in additional funding per year by 2024, allowing an additional two million people across England to get help,” a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said. Improving mental health is a critical component of our commitment to levelling disparities in outcomes and life chances across the country. We launched a call for evidence earlier this year to better understand what the government can do in the long run to support mental health, wellbeing, and suicide prevention.”
