Rise in number of hospital admissions for stress

Workers in particular are under too much emotional and mental pressure, new data from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) suggests.

The number of people treated in hospital for stress has risen by 7% in the last year.

There were 6,370 admissions for stress at hospitals in England between May 2011 and May 2012 - 410 more than the previous 12 months.

Admission rates were highest among working-aged people aged 18 to 60, the HSCIC said.

The Mental Health Foundation said that the rising figures were “not surprising” at a time of economic uncertainty.

The north west had the highest admission rate for stress with 1,390 people given hospital treatment, while the South West had the lowest (350 people).

But in contrast the number of people admitted for anxiety - the feeling of mild or severe unease, such as worry or fear - fell by almost 3% in the same time frame.

HSCIC chief executive Tim Straughan said: “It might be assumed that stress and anxiety are conditions that result in a journey to a GP consulting room rather than a hospital ward.

“However, our figures suggest thousands of cases a year arise where patients suffering from stress or anxiety become hospitalised in England.”