Mental health needs

Perspectives on the pandemic

More than a year on from the launch of the National Emergencies Trust’s Coronavirus Appeal on 18 March 2020, we have asked our incredible funding partners to share their unique perspectives on the pandemic. The Heads Together Coalition, which includes mental health charity Mind, received Coronavirus Appeal funding to support its remote support services including Mind’s Infoline and web support.

Mind Chief Executive, Paul Farmer, on behalf of the Heads Together Partnership gives us an insight into how the pandemic has affected people’s mental health.

What difference has the pandemic made to the communities you serve?

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic we face a mental health emergency. The Institute for Fiscal Studies found that, taking account of pre-coronavirus trajectories, mental health in the UK has worsened substantially because of the pandemic, and over the coming years, 20% of adults and 15% of children in England will need mental health support.

What impact did you see on your services as a result?

We have seen a consistent rise in demand for the remote services offered by the partnership. This demand has peaked significantly at times of national crisis, such as the announcements of lockdowns and the cancellation of easing restrictions at Christmas. There is some data to indicate that service demand during lockdown periods goes on later into the night and early morning when people are less constrained by work and school requirements. People are seeking out our services for more complex issues and requiring signposting for additional support.

What has the funding from the Coronavirus Appeal enabled you to do for those people you help?

Funding has enabled many partners to expand their services and increase resource at a time when the number of people getting in contact was skyrocketing. According to data submitted by partners, a sample of seven partners supported 42,800 people per month via remote services in summer 2020. The same organisations reached 57,400 in January of 2021. Many services have also dealt with longer, more complex queries. Funding from the National Emergencies Trust has enabled us to meet this growing demand.

What challenges and/or opportunities do you foresee ahead?

We anticipate that demand for our services will continue. The mental health needs of the pandemic will be long-term, as we feel the effects of changes to our lives, including bereavement, financial instability and disruption to education. Some people will also feel anxiety about a return to ‘normal’ life. Our upcoming campaign gives us the opportunity to reach out to some of those most impacted by coronavirus – specifically young black people, who have lost employment at a much higher rate than young white people, and are less likely to receive appropriate mental health support.