Peterborough sees rise in people accessing mental health services
Services for Older People Mental Health also rose.
Peterborough has experienced an increase in the number of people accessing mental health services throughout the past financial year, according to recent figures.
Data revealed that at the start of the 2024/25 financial year, 167 people were accessing Adult Mental Health services, rising to 194 by the year's end. Meanwhile, services for Older People Mental Health rose from 46 to 56 users.
Peterborough City Council delegates the delivery of mental health services through a partnership agreement with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT). The council invested £1.6 million into this partnership last year and anticipates an increase in funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Future funding is expected to rise based on inflation, although the exact amount has yet to be confirmed.
The partnership agreement is currently being reviewed, with finalisations planned alongside a proposed contract extension. The contract entails staffing costs and a shared management overhead, including training expenses.
Performance evaluations revealed improvements in some areas, such as employment among adults aged 18-69 in contact with secondary mental health services, which rose to 8% from a previous 3.4%. However, this figure still falls short of the national target of 12.5% and regional average of 14%.
Additionally, the proportion of adults living independently with or without support also improved from 12.5% to 29%, yet remains below the target of 75% and the regional average of 51.4%.
The council's Prevention, Independence and Resilience Scrutiny Committee is recommended to endorse the annual report on the Mental Health Section 75 Partnership Agreement during their meeting on 4th November.