Why is it an issue?
Most people will come into contact with mental health issues during their lifetime, and one in four will have personal experience of a mental health problem. The ‘invisibility’ of mental illness means that many do not receive the support and treatment that could help them.
What is the position in Devon?
At present, around 83,000 adults in Devon have a neurotic disorder. Around 2,200 people from Devon attend an accident and emergency department due to self-harm each year, and 1,400 admitted to a hospital bed. There are around 70 suicides per year in Devon.
What is the evidence of effective interventions?
Devon has produced a Mental Health and Wellbeing Promotion Strategy which has adopted the life course approach. Some people and groups are more at risk of common mental health problems often as a result of the social, economic or environmental circumstances in which they find themselves. Therefore early identification and supportive intervention, across a range of services and initiatives, will help provide stability and negate the need for further more intensive health care and treatment. The Suicide Prevention Strategy is due for a refresh following publication of the national suicide prevention strategy in 2012.