Most patients treated during the first year of a scheme designed to improve access to talking therapies received less treatment than recommended in guidelines, according to a progress review.
A review of the nationwide roll-out of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies scheme found a drop-out rate of 22 per cent and disappointing outcomes for patients.
The previous government said the scheme would help 25,000 people reduce their reliance on sick pay and benefits by 2011. However the review by researchers at Durham University, covering 137,000 patients across 30 sites, found no significant increase in employment after treatment and only a small decrease in benefit dependency.
The review also revealed patients received far fewer therapy sessions than National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines recommend.
Patients diagnosed as needing low intensity treatments received an average of two sessions with Improving Access staff, while NICE guidelines recommend at least six. Those judged to need high intensity treatments were only seen on average three times, compared with a minimum of 16 sessions recommended for treating depression or anxiety.
There were problems with incomplete data but the information collated suggested fewer than 2 per cent of patients received 16 or more high intensity sessions.
The initiative uses cognitive behavioural therapy and similar methods to treat patients with anxiety, depression, substance abuse and eating disorders.
Recovery rates were also disappointing - although they came with the caveat that much of the data was unusable.
Of the people referred to the scheme, 12 per cent were judged not suitable for treatment, but most were treated anyway. This raised concerns about referral training.
Mind policy and campaigns officer Mariam Kemple said the service had been rolled out very quickly and was overloaded.
She said: “Many of the therapists are trainees who need high amounts of supervision, so there are not enough therapist hours. There may be a squeeze on resources so primary care trusts are offering fewer treatments.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said the review had shown “a range of trends and in some areas excellent practice has been in place”.
HSJ’s Mental Health Congress is in Manchester on 9-10 November, www.mentalhealthcongress.com
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