Country facing a 'mental health crisis' due to coronavirus pandemic

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A leading psychiatrist in Bristol says the country is at the beginning of a mental health crisis due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as new figures for 2020, show the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership has seen a rise in people being admitted to hospital under the mental health act.

The ward manager at the Partnership's place of safety unit at Southmead Hospital in Bristol says the unit is "at full capacity" and has never been so busy.

People are brought to the hospital by the police for their own safety where they are assessed by a team in less than 24 hours.

Jaclyn Buglass, the ward manager said: "We'd have discharges here, we'd then have another lot of admissions, it was literally one in one out."

Jaclyn said the pandemic has really impacted the number of admissions to the ward.

She said: "I think people have really struggled with loneliness, with changes to their job, with not being able to see loved ones.

"The stress, the worry of Covid, it's had an immense impact on people's mental health."

Dr James Eldred, consultant psychiatrist said the country is in a "mental health crisis".

He said: "I think it will be fair to say we are going through a mental health crisis at the moment.

"I think the bigger distress that people are experiencing, almost universally, is the impact of isolation and the breakdown of their usual social patterns."

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP:

  • Crisis Support For Young People: Under 35s. Call Papyrus's Hopeline UK from 9am to 10pm weekdays and 2pm to 10pm on weekends. 0800 068 41 41. Text 07786 209697 Visit the Papyrus website