Concerns about ‘scary’ numbers waiting for mental health services

COUNCILLORS have raised concerns over the ‘scary’ numbers of people waiting for mental health services in North Staffordshire.

- Phil Corrigan

The NHS autism caseload for the area rose from 1,993 to 2,635 in the year to June, with a 23.2 per cent increase in referrals nationally in 2024/25.

And the adults referral caseload for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in North Staffordshire increased from less than 2,000 to about 3,500. Increased awareness of mental health issues and the impact of the pandemic and lockdown are among the factors behind increase in referrals for both autism and ADHD across the country.

Members of the health and wellbeing committee at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council quizzed an NHS official on the increase and steps being taken to bring down waiting times. Ben Richards, chief operating officer at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare, said although waiting times for autism assessments had fallen since last year, people still wait ‘far, far too long’

NHS figures show the average wait for an autism assessment in North Staffordshire fell from 92 to 71 weeks between June 2024 and March 2025.