The council’s cabinet member for health warns there could be “thousands” of people living with mental ill health in the borough “we don’t know about”, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter
There could be a “substantial increase in the number of people with mental illness” in Barking and Dagenham, the council has warned.
A mental health needs assessment says high levels of deprivation and unemployment, poor physical health and a growing population, could contribute to the rise.
Labour councillor Maureen Worby – responsible for health – said there could be “thousands” of people living with mental ill health in the borough “we don’t know about”.
She said: “We have to remember the scale of the potential problem that we are trying to deal with.”
Some 37,000 adults in Barking and Dagenham currently live with a “common mental health condition” such as depression or anxiety.
That’s according to a mental health needs assessment presented to the borough’s health and wellbeing board on Tuesday (29th).
The assessment predicted this could rise by 5,299 before 2035 based on population growth – although it suggested the number could be higher.
It said: “Given recent trends, actual rates of mental illness may also increase faster than this, particularly among young adults.”
The needs assessment said that Barking and Dagenham had high levels of deprivation, and that many of its residents live in poverty.
It said that people living in deprived areas are more likely to need mental healthcare, but less likely both to receive support and to recover.
The report said: “Having a strong foundation for the ‘building blocks’ of life – an affordable and stable home, a well-paid and stable job, a sense of belonging in your local area – promotes both physical and mental health.
“Contrastingly, facing financial insecurity, deprivation, homelessness and unemployment, can all contribute to poorer health outcomes”.
The needs assessment also drew a link between physical and mental health.
It said: “The overlap between physical and mental health is a particularly important issue for Barking and Dagenham, given the high level of long-term physical health conditions among the local population, and poor healthy life expectancy compared to other areas.”
Board member Dr Jagan John, a GP, said his surgery had recently run a drop-in session for people with high blood pressure. He said they diagnosed 50% of people who attended with mental health issues.
Dr John also said that workplace stress was a driving factor behind mental ill health.
And he warned that mental ill health could still be treated as a “stigma, particularly in some of the Asian communities and Afro-Caribbean communities”.
The needs assessment recommended that council and health services improve community support, train staff to refer residents to mental health services, promote healthier lifestyles, and review support for sections of the population at higher risk.
Cllr Worby said: “Don’t forget how many people in our communities have mental health issues we don’t know about.
“We have to remember the scale of the potential problem that we are trying to address.”
