Fewer talking therapy referrals made in Luton as waits for treatment vary significantly across England
Fewer referrals for anxiety and depression talking therapies were made in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes in April, new figures show.
Meanwhile, waiting times between referral and treatment varied significantly across the country.
NHS talking therapies, or psychological therapies, help treat people with depression or anxiety. They are approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and do not require having been diagnosed with a mental health problem.
New NHS England figures show 2,275 referrals for talking therapies were received in the former NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes CCG area in April – down from 2,790 a year earlier.
Of the 1,030 referrals finishing treatment in the area in April, 1,000 (97 per cent) had accessed treatment within six weeks, and all had within 18 weeks.
NHS guidelines state all talking therapies should provide "timely access to treatment", and dictate 75 per cent of patients should have a first appointment within six weeks of referral and 95% within 18 weeks of referral.
However, waits for the 133,908 referrals made across England in April varied significantly.
Alexa Knight, director of England at the Mental Health Foundation, said: "When someone’s struggling with their mental health and reaches out for support, being met with a long wait for help can be devastating.
"Access to good quality, culturally appropriate therapy can make a huge difference in preventing someone's mental health from worsening.”
The figures also show 49 per cent of referrals finishing treatment in April in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes showed reliable recovery, 70 per cent reliable improvement and 5 per cent reliable deterioration.
Across England, 48 per cent showed reliable recovery, 69 per cent reliable improvement and 6 per cent reliable deterioration.
An NHS spokesperson said: "Severe anxiety and depression has a major impact on people’s lives and the NHS is here to provide a range of treatments, including our world leading NHS Talking Therapies Programme, which is providing evidence-based mental health support to more than a million people a year.
"If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, please don’t hesitate to self-refer to your local talking therapies service or contact your GP practice."