Mental health issues are ‘parallel pandemic’ that NHS is not equipped to tackle, leaders warn

‘We’ve really got to address the significant, unmet need for care’

The NHS is not equipped to tackle the hidden “parallel pandemic” in mental ill health with many patients going without adequate treatment, leaders have warned.

The cost of living crisis and the after-effects of the Covid epidemic have led to a spike in the number of people suffering from mental health issues.

But the true extent of the problems could be even greater, health experts warn, because it is impossible to tell how many people have yet to come forward for care.