Mental Health Patients in Sussex Live Shorter Lives

The Sussex and East Surrey Sustainability Transformation Partnership (STP) – brings together 24 health and social care organisations across the region. It focuses on how patient care can be improved.

New research published by the STP has found that mental health patients in Sussex live up to 20 years less than the rest of the population.

The research also found that 20% of all A&E admissions were made up by the 7% of the population with mental health problems. These patients required emergency hospital treatment three times as often as the rest of the population.

Patients who have used mental health services are between 2 – 4 times more likely to die of cancer, circulatory or respiratory disease than the rest of the population.

Treating mental health patients for self-harm related injuries cost £2.8 million. The report found that reducing avoidable hospital admissions could save up to £1.9m in A&E admissions and £46.8m in inpatient care.

The CEO of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Sam Allen, said the “fact you end up living up to 20 years less (if you have mental health issues) is truly shocking (and) shows that health and social care services aren’t meeting the physical health needs of people with mental health problems”.

She added “getting a grip on this is about saving lives. It’s also about making sure we use every penny of public money as wisely and effectively as possible…We’ve got to think differently…Applying traditional solutions to today’s challenges will get us nowhere very fast.”

Dr Rick Fraser, Sussex Partnership’s chief medical officer, agrees. He commented that “despite the increased awareness” there hasn’t really been “an improvement in the situation.” He believes that the health service needs to get its “act together.”

By Clare Calder