The Government has announced plans to deliver £170 million of investment in talking therapies. The new programme, set out in the publication of national guidelines, will include the training of an extra 3,600 psychological therapists. By 2010/11, the NHS will spend £170m per year on psychological therapies, with more than £30m in 2008/9 and more than £100m in 2009/10. Over the next three years, this investment in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies will mean:
- 900,000 more people treated for depression and anxiety
- 450,000 of them are likely to be completely cured (as expected with NICE guidelines)
- 25,000 fewer people with mental health problems on sick pay and benefits
- 3,600 more newly-trained psychological therapists giving evidence-based treatment
- all GP practices having access to psychological therapies as the programme rolls out