Open Access News Mental Health News How to solve the UK’s crisis of young people with poor mental health July 15, 2024 Image: © Phynart Studio | iStock Dr Deborah Lee of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy explores the worrying prevalence of young people with poor mental health, why it’s on the rise, and what can be done to prevent mental ill health and provide the necessary support Our children and young people are in the midst of a mental health crisis. In 2023, NHS England reported that one in five children and young people had a probable mental health disorder. This figure was 23.
3% in 17-19-year-olds and 21.7% in those aged 20-25 years. The pandemic brought disruption and homeschooling to children’s lives, resulting in social isolation.
Around 140,000 children never went back to school after the pandemic. The rise of the smartphone and the relentless pressure of social media have had substantial negative consequences for children, affecting their communication skills, concentration, schoolwork, and sleep. Alcohol, tobacco and drug use, especially cannabis, are rife.
In addition, it has become increasingly complex for anyone – let alone a young person – to get a GP appointment. Underfunded services CYPMHS services have historically been underfunded. The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) promised to increase funding by £2.
3bn a year to allow an extra 345,000 children to be seen and a minimum four-week wait. However, 2024 data show that only 48% of children on the 1.4 million waitin.