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While experiences of mental healthcare are improving, many people are still facing significant barriers to appropriate care, the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) community mental health survey 2025 has revealed.
Published this week, the survey quizzes 12,319 people aged 16 and over about their experiences of community mental health care.
And, while the NHS is hoping to move more care into the community, the survey highlights how community mental health care is struggling to meet the needs of everyone currently accessing it.
It shows that one in three people (31%) are waiting three months or more for an appointment and half of respondents who contacted crisis services for children and young people (51%) did not get the help they needed.
However, more people are reporting being treated with care and compassion – 67%, up from 65% in 2023 and 2024.
It’s encouraging to see more people feeling they are being treated with compassion, dignity and respect, but the reality is that far too many people are being failed by a system that cannot meet their needs
And people are having more-positive experiences, with more saying they were treated with respect and dignity, that they were supported to make decisions about their care, and that they were listened to.
In addition, more than half of people accessing mental health services for older people (54%) rated their experiences of community mental health care as nine or 10 out of 10, an improvement on the previous two years.
But, the survey showed specific sections of society are having poorer experiences.
For example, people aged 16-35, disabled people, and autistic people had worse experiences than average in being treated with care and compassion, getting the help they needed, feeling listened to, getting enough time to discuss their needs, and their overall experience.
Mental ill health doesn’t exist in isolation and may be shaped by many factors including housing, finances, employment, and physical health.
Nevertheless, nearly two in five people (38%) reported receiving no support for their physical health, even though they would have liked this, and many people accessing children and young people’s mental health services (62%) received no help or support in joining a group, an increase from 55% in 2023 and 2024.
While family members are involved in many aspects of care, nearly half of people who contacted crisis care (45%) said their family received no support or information. This is despite family involvement being a key issue raised in patient safety reviews.
While more people are feeling listened to and being given enough time to discuss their needs and treatment during appointments, action is needed to reduce the long waiting lists, the inconsistencies in care, and to address the wider issues contributing to a person’s mental health.
Interim chief inspector of mental health for the CQC, Chris Dzikiti, said: “It’s heartening that people are reporting better experiences, with more positive interactions with staff.
“However, people are still facing barriers to appropriate care and community mental health care is struggling to support those in crisis.
“We are unfortunately far from the goal in the NHS 10-year plan of playing a preventive role.
“A robust, consistent workforce is essential to ensure staff are not burnt out and feel able to provide compassionate, personalised care.
“Demand for mental health support is increasing, but concerningly the ratio of mental health nurses to patients is getting worse.
Behind every statistic is a story of someone waiting for a lifeline. Someone trying to stay well, someone trying to care for a loved one, and someone trying to ensure mental illness does not derail their lives
“If staff have the capacity and time to support the whole person – understanding their financial, physical, and social, as well as mental health needs and can offer a joined-up approach to healthcare – we can prevent crises and help people live happier fuller lives.
“At the CQC, we have started a comprehensive review of adult community mental health services to better understand where quality of care, patient and public safety, and staff experience is not up to standard.”
Commenting on the survey findings, Mark Winstanley, chief executive of Rethink Mental Illness, said the results ‘paint a picture that is both familiar and deeply concerning’.
He added: “It’s encouraging to see more people feeling they are being treated with compassion, dignity and respect, but the reality is that far too many people are being failed by a system that cannot meet their needs.
“We need urgent action to tackle the barriers that mean young people, autistic people and disabled people are less likely to get the help they need, while we also urgently need a clear plan to reduce mental health waiting times.
“It is also simply unacceptable that people contacting crisis services are not getting the help they need to ensure our children and young people are safe and cared for.
“Behind every statistic is a story of someone waiting for a lifeline. Someone trying to stay well, someone trying to care for a loved one, and someone trying to ensure mental illness does not derail their lives.
“Community mental health services are vital in preventing crisis, but they cannot do this without the right investment and resource to help people stay well and out of hospital.”
And Tom Pollard, head of policy, public affairs and campaigns at Mind, said: “The challenges these findings highlight will come as no surprise to people living with mental health problems, or to the staff bearing witness to the human cost of a fractured system every day.
“The situation is particularly stark for children and young people, with many waiting far too long for an initial appointment and not receiving any support during this time.
“Crisis care should never be the point at which someone first accesses mental health support. But that is the reality for many people right now, because accessible, trauma‑informed support embedded in the places people live often simply isn’t available.”
“It’s positive to see improvements, including in people’s experiences of feeling listened to, having enough time in appointments with professionals, and being treated with care and compassion. These gains matter, and they reflect the dedication of frontline staff working under immense pressure.
Crisis care should never be the point at which someone first accesses mental health support. But that is the reality for many people right now, because accessible, trauma‑informed support embedded in the places people live often simply isn’t available
“But the picture for consistent, ongoing support remains troubling, as evidenced throughout the report.
“Many people say they were not involved, or even aware of, a plan for their care, and others did not feel supported to make decisions about their treatment. This lack of involvement and choice makes it harder for people to stay well and increases pressure on services later down the line.
“These issues reflect the sustained political deprioritisation of mental health. Funding for mental health services has continued to fall relative to need for the third year running, and that imbalance is inevitably felt in people’s experiences of care.”
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