Our response to rising mental health admissions in acute hospitals

A study led by UCL researchers published yesterday (22 January 2025) in the The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal has revealed that, between 2012 and 2022, there was a 65% increase in the number of children and young people being admitted to acute hospitals in England because of a mental health concern.

Professor Eamon McCrory, CEO at Anna Freud and Professor of Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology at UCL, said in response:

“It’s deeply concerning to see that mental health admissions for children and young people have been steadily increasing in acute hospitals.

“We know that the number of children and young people in contact with mental health services has more than doubled since 2018, leaving community specialist services overwhelmed.^1,2 The robust data presented in this study indicates that some young people are reaching crisis point and needing to turn to general hospitals for support. While the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly impacted the mental health of young people, it is significant that this research highlights admissions have been rising since 2012. This suggests that other factors like poverty, increased academic pressure and exposure to a rapidly evolving digital world have been reshaping young lives for much longer.

“The best way to tackle mental ill health is by intervening to reduce the risk of problems developing in the first place. Such a prevention-first approach includes providing the foundations for wellbeing, particularly investing in social capital, alongside addressing risk factors like poverty and homelessness. Increased investment in early intervention initiatives within communities is also a key part of the solution - such as children’s centres or early support hubs – which can offer support before problems escalate. Experience tells us that these initiatives are most likely to succeed if developed in partnership with diverse groups of children and young people.

“These important findings highlight further the pressing need for a comprehensive, cross-government mental health prevention strategy. This would lay the foundations for better wellbeing for the next generation, easing pressure on specialist services in the long-term.”

Find out more

Find out more about how we think the gap in children and young people’s mental health can be closed through a renewed focus on prevention and early intervention in our Thinking Differently manifesto.

References:

^1. Mental health services monthly statistics, performance August 2024 | NHS Digital. (2024, October 10)

^2. Mental health services monthly statistics - Final July, provisional August 2018 | NHS Digital. (2018, October 11)