Mental health in adults (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)
Key issues
- Health inequalities: 10 years difference in life expectancy across different parts of the borough illustrates area-based mental and physical health inequalities. Higher levels of deprivation increase the risk of a range of mental health conditions.
- Marginalised groups: Experience barriers to accessing mental health treatment.
- Long term conditions: People who have a long-term condition are at an increased risk of poor mental health but report experiencing barriers in accessing mental health treatment.
- Severe mental illness (SMI): Mental health and physical health are to be treated equally. Anyone with a diagnosis of a SMI who is registered with a GP is entitled to a physical health check at least once a year.
- Access to mental health information, support and services: People's quality of life could be improved by timely access to appropriate information.
- Ageing population: The UK population is ageing, and people are living with physical and neurodegenerative conditions for longer. The mental health of this population is therefore going to be increasingly important for demand on health and social care services. Older people are just at risk of mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety disorders as with other parts of the population.
- COVID-19: Demand for mental health services forecast to increase across the Northeast and Cumbria as a consequence of the pandemic (Source: Fancourt et al 2020 Researchgate: Trajectories of depression and anxiety during enforced isolation due to COVID-19).
- Unemployment and economic inactivity. This has implications for people's mental health in South Tyneside. Education, training, and employment needs to be more accessible to people with mental health problems.
