Home / Health / Kent NHS Trust Halves Long Mental Health Waits
Kent NHS Trust Halves Long Mental Health Waits
23 Aug
Summary
- Long mental health wait times in Kent have decreased by nearly half.
- The number of people waiting over 38 weeks fell from 305 to 161.
- Improvements stem from regular reviews and better care pathway access.
Wait times for community mental health support in Kent and Medway have seen a significant reduction. Since January, the number of people waiting more than 38 weeks has fallen by almost half, from 305 to 161 as of July.
The Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust stated that these improvements are the result of focused initiatives. These include consistent reviews of waiting lists and enhancements to care pathways, ensuring better access to services.
Acting chief nurse Julie Kirby highlighted the trust's response to patient demand for quicker and simpler experiences when moving between services. The focus remains on making mental health care more accessible and better integrated with individuals' needs, ideally closer to home.
