Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) CEO Simon Gunning responds to the National Audit Progress report in improving mental health services in England

“Sadly, this is a damning indictment of the governments failures to grip what has become a mental health emergency. We shouldn’t sugar coat it, the mental health crisis we’re facing is a cross generational issue that almost touches everyone in our society, ripping through the heart of our communities brought on by over a decade of austerity and underfunding of our services.

The figures speak for themselves, we’ve seen a 44% increase in referrals to NHS mental health services since 2016. And in 2021, 8 million people in England who were struggling with their mental health did not qualify for the support they needed – leaving NHS services with no option but to directly signpost to charities like our own to bridge the gap. To put that into context in 2022 CALM had over 3 million minutes of potentially lifesaving calls via our helpline and webchat services, across a range of issues including anxiety, stress, loneliness and relationship concerns. And in the face of rising everything, bills, food, petrol, energy, things are only going to get busier.

It’s evident the government has come woefully short on its promise of a visionary new plan for mental health, but it’s not a time for pointing fingers. Its time for action. Urgently.”