Barriers to Accessing Mental Health Support in Tower Hamlets

Project Background

Tower Hamlets has some of the highest levels of reported mental health illness in London (Tower Hamlets Mental Health Joint Strategic Needs Assessment, 2019). 

It has:

• The highest levels of self-reported depression and anxiety (based on data collected from GP Patient Survey 2016/17)
• Higher levels of severe mental health conditions compared to the London average
• Second highest levels of secondary mental health service use for working-age adults in England
• Highest levels of loneliness amongst older people (based on estimation)

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, there has been an increase in mental ill health. As a result, it is now more important than ever to understand people’s experiences of mental health services in Tower Hamlets, and how services can better meet the local population’s needs.

Healthwatch Tower Hamlets decided to carry out a project that specifically targeted people over the age of 65 and people from minoritised ethnic communities who based on current data from mental health services in the borough, are less likely to access mental health services when needed.

Methodology

The feedback was collected through an online survey between November 2023 and February 2024. The survey was promoted widely through local community and voluntary organisations and NHS trusts.

In addition to the online survey, Healthwatch Tower Hamlets conducted face-to-face engagement at local services and events. These included: Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum event, Idea Stores in Whitechapel, Chrisp Street, and Watney Market, Prime Time sessions for over 50s in Idea Store Whitechapel and Cubitt Town Library, Create Day Centre, Toynbee Hall, and Approach Lodge Care Home.

An Easy Read version of the survey was created to help collect feedback from people with learning disabilities at the Create Day Centre.

In total, 99 people responded to our survey: 30 responses from people aged 65 or over and 56 responses from people from minoritised ethnic communities. We received a small number of responses from people not included in these target groups.