Recurring concern
Unreliable access to talking therapies
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Request correctionFirst reported 31 Jan 2014•Latest report 6 Mar 2025
What this concern includes
Includes failures in the dedicated talking-therapies access pathway, including referral eligibility and acceptance criteria, referral routes, service-user communication about referral status, waiting-list management and timely provision of talking therapies where these deficiencies can prevent or delay appropriate support.
Not included
- Excludes generic mental-health service access or referral failures that are not specifically tied to talking therapies.
- Excludes failures in the quality or clinical content of therapy after treatment has commenced.
- Excludes generic staffing, communication or capacity deficiencies unless they directly impair access to talking therapies.
- Excludes access failures for other specialist mental-health services unless the reports explicitly support their inclusion in the same talking-therapies pathway.
- Reports
- 11
- Individual concerns
- 12
- Date range
- 2014–2025
- Stated actions
- 21
Distinct published reports
A report can raise multiple concerns
First to latest report issue date
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in access to psychological therapy
This report raised 3 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised2
Exclusion of referrals from talking therapies based on a stability policy
Lack of shared definitions of stability across the talking therapies pathway
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.5
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Action
Remove recent statutory mental-health contact and recent failed-suicide-attempt criteria from NHS Talking Therapies referral screening.
Stated by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Screen referrals for engagement and safety, assess current stability, and monitor referral decisions through practitioner rationales and managerial checks.
Stated by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Finalize, discuss and share the NHS Talking Therapies operating procedure with relevant teams.
Stated by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Provide NHS Talking Therapies training to Living Well, Home Treatment Team and emergency liaison colleagues on the revised service procedure.
Stated by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Hold Living Well staff reflection and learning sessions on language, stability terminology and person-centred care.
Stated by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Shortage of availability for psychological therapies such as CBT
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Lengthy waits for access to psychological therapies
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Provide £500 million to expand mental health services, address waiting times, invest in the workforce, and support talking therapies, crisis services and suicide prevention.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care -
Action
Work with NHS England on next steps following its consultation on proposed mental health access standards.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Lack of a reliable referral communication system providing direct, tailored information on referral status and plans
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.4
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Action
Update the CMHT standard operating procedure to require agreed referrals before discharge and include referral information in service-user discharge letters.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Launch the revised CMHT standard operating procedure to raise clinicians’ awareness of communication requirements and service components.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Promote and implement the revised referral and discharge process through supervision, business meetings, and team and leadership development sessions.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Action
Address cross-service referrals and how service users are informed about referral reasons and progress through the Community Transformation Project.
Stated by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Unavailability of timely psychological services due to internal service structures and waiting lists
This report raised 1 other concern. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.3
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Action
Formalise distinct community mental-health treatment pathways through the 2019/20 Service Development and Improvement Plan.
Stated by NHS Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board -
Action
Establish clinical psychology capacity within every Home Treatment Team.
Stated by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust -
Action
Develop a community-based Severe Mental Illness offer including psychological therapies, physical healthcare, employment support, personalised care and related support.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
Local NHS organisations are responsible for providing mental health services, while NHS England commissions specialised services.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
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Concerns raised1
Significant waits for talking therapies
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Provide an additional psychological therapist to increase capacity for individual and family interventions.
Stated by Clare Parker -
Action
Review psychological-therapy waiting-list management and make monthly contact with people waiting.
Stated by Clare Parker
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The waiting list resulted from insufficient psychological therapy capacity, rather than difficulties recruiting or retaining suitably qualified therapists.
Stated by Clare Parker
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Concerns raised1
Lack of primary care understanding of access routes and service roles for patients with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems
This report raised 5 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statementsNo respondent-stated action or position is linked to these concerns in the published data.
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Concerns raised1
Delays in providing CBT to children assessed as needing it
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
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Action
Involve Off the Record staff in CAMHS intake meetings and finalise governance arrangements for cross-organisational working.
Stated by Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
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Concerns raised1
Delays in community-based psychological therapy referrals after discharge
This report raised 2 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concernsEach statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.2
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Action
Publish a five-year mental health plan setting out actions to improve access and waiting times for mental health services.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care -
Action
Take immediate actions to improve mental health access and waiting times, including IAPT treatment within six weeks for 75% and within 18 weeks for 95% of people.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.1
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Position
The NHS Trust and Clinical Commissioning Group are responsible for addressing the concerns about local psychological therapy provision.
Stated by Department of Health and Social Care
Data last updated 7 September 2026