Ambulance service predicts mental health spike

2 hours ago

Pamela TickellNorth East and Cumbria

The North East Ambulance Service has been predicting likely health demands over the next decade

North East Ambulance Service A yellow and green North East Ambulance vehicle in front of the blue metal Transporter Bridge over the River Tees. Decal on the vehicle reads: "Emergency Ambulance". The bridge behind it is tall and has wires hanging off it. — The North East Ambulance Service has been predicting likely health demands over the next decade

An ambulance service has claimed responding to mental health crises will be its fastest growing challenge over the next decade.

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has produced a series of documents predicting health needs over the next 10 years, along with general principles on how it will respond to such "major changes".

These include dealing with an ageing population, rising numbers of people with long-term conditions, growing demand for mental health support and persistent health inequalities.

The trust said it plans such things as a more coordinated response and "stronger leadership and [a] more dependable system", but did not detail specific commitments or current shortcomings.

NEAS provides urgent and emergency care for 2.7 million people and is responsible for the area's NHS 111 and 999 call handling.

Mirroring health issues apparent throughout this century, it said it was seeing a "significant growth" in people aged over 65, a shrinking of the working age population and older people with multiple conditions representing a larger proportion of demand.

The service forecast respiratory disease, cardiac conditions, stroke, gastrointestinal illness and mental health crisis care would continue to be the top reasons ambulance staff were called.

However, it predicted mental health would be its "fastest-growing clinical demand".

'Get basics right'

The report found ambulance staff were often responding to mental health incidents without "adequate specialist support" or "sufficient time or resource".

NEAS said it could not solve the issue "in isolation" but committed to enhanced training and stronger access to specialist input.

It also aimed to provide more clinical advice, assessment and support at the first point of contact, so people would not always need a hospital journey.

NEAS vowed it would make it "easier to do the job by getting the basics right" including sorting out its vehicles, equipment, digital systems and workplaces.

"Doing more of the same is not a viable option," the strategy document read.

The service has not revealed specific plans, when it might deliver changes or stated what additional funding it might need.

Over the last year, NEAS answered almost 1.5 million emergency calls and responded to more than 40,000 life-threatening emergencies across the North East, it said.