Nearly 20,000 people in the East Riding were referred to mental health services in 2021, NHS Digital figures show

The Royal College of Psychiatrists says the coronavirus pandemic is the “biggest hit” to England’s mental health in generations and has urged the Government to address growing referral lists across the country.

NHS Digital figures show around 18,620 people in the NHS East Riding Of Yorkshire CCG area were referred for a mental health appointment in 2021 – up from 16,155 the year before.

Nationally, 4.3 million people were referred for mental health care last year, up from 3.7 million in 2020 and the highest number since records began. The number of people in contact with mental health services across the country has also increased.

At the end of last year, 1.35 million people were working with mental health services, up from 1.26 million at the end of 2020.

Approximately 5,045 were using mental health services in the East Riding on December 31, up from 4,270 the year prior.

NHS England says the national rise in mental health referrals has resulted in a backlog and increase in demand for services.

Dr Adrian James, President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said government silence on the issue “continues to be of grave concern” and called for a fully-funded plan to aid mental health services to deal with the backlog.

“The warning of the long tail of mental ill-health caused by the pandemic has not been heeded,” said Dr James.

Mental health charity SANE warned the Government it is “sleepwalking” into a crisis due to the rising number of children requiring support nationally.

The Department for Health and Social Care said an extra £2.3 billion per year will be invested in mental health services by 2023-24, on top of £500million apportioned to tackle the pandemic’s impact on mental health.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said it will launch a “national conversation” about mental health before publishing a long-term Mental Health Plan later this year.