Coronavirus: Number of people suffering with suicidal thoughts increases during pandemic

Number of people suffering with suicidal thoughts increased during the coronavirus pandemic, NHS24 reveals.

Call centre worker

Chief executive of NHS24 Angiolina Foster described the increase to MSP’s as a “very discernible and alarming trend”.

She told Holyrood’s Health Committee there were “much higher levels of anxiety within the population” as she spoke about the work of staff at the medical helpline and online service.

She added the “root cause” of this was “a mixture of economic worries through furlough or job loss, family and relationship stresses and strains, if not triggered by lockdown then certainly exacerbated by lockdown”.

Figures released by NHS24 show that before the pandemic the service typically dealt with 25,000-28,000 calls per week – with more than nine out of 10 of those being made outside of normal working hours.

The mental health hub which previously operated on a four evenings per week basis has increased to become a 24 hour, seven days a week service to deal with the increase in demand.

Stephanie Phillips, director of service delivery for NHS24, told the committee that the clear message is that the increase in demand is clear and reflected by their additional availability.

Between February 3 and September 6 this year, the mental health hub received a total of 32,309 calls.

Chief Executive Foster went on to tell MSP’s that spending so far during the pandemic had increased by just over £3 million and that it is likely that this overspend will grow to £10 million by the end of the year – she stressed that was based on current service demand patterns.

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