Talking therapies reduce NHS costs

Reporting their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, researchers assessed anonymised details of 152,000 patients in Yorkshire and East London to identify the impact of common illnesses including depression and anxiety.

They compared the use of NHS resources among patients with and without mental problems and before and after referral to expert counsellors under the Government’s improving access to psychological therapies (IAPT) scheme.

The programme was piloted in Doncaster and Newham, east London, in 2006 and is now available nationwide.

They found about one patient in five had been diagnosed with depression or anxiety at some point.

Those with common mental health problems used significantly more health resources overall than those without. They had five times as many prescriptions for antidepressants and admissions to hospital, stayed in hospital longer, had more outpatient appointments, used more emergency care services and were issued with 10 times as many sick notes.

Those referred to the programme used fewer hospital services and were issued fewer sick notes, but they were prescribed more antidepressants, which may indicate that they stuck to their treatment plans better, or that they were referred soon after the condition had developed, suggest study authors from Sheffield and Surrey Universities and the Hull-York Medical School.

They added: “At a time when there is pressure to control increasing health costs, this study suggests that IAPT may contribute to reducing health service usage.”

Official estimates suggest talking therapies could save the NHS £272m, and the wider public sector more than £700m.