The hard work of the Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin Talking Therapies Service is continuing to make a huge impact on waiting times for people experiencing mental health difficulties.

Across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, the number of people waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment following an assessment fell from 2,129 in September 2022 to 355 at the start of November – an 83% reduction. Furthermore, no one is currently waiting more than 18 weeks to receive counselling.

The service (formally known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies – IAPT) is provided by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and supports people aged over 16 with common mental health problems such as anxiety disorders, depression and stress.

The impressive progress of the service locally in reducing waiting times is enabling Talking Therapies to work in a more effective way with community mental health services.

By ensuring people are being referred to the most appropriate service to access to help they need, this is supporting the milestones of the Community Mental Health Transformation programme.

The service is open to anyone aged 16+ who is registered with a Shropshire or Telford and Wrekin GP, and is not currently being seen by another mental health team.

Self-referrals into the Talking Therapies service can be made in the following ways:

• Email: STWTT@mpft.nhs.uk
• Phone: 0300 1236020 (NB: the patient’s details will be taken and a telephone assessment arranged)

Find out more: www.mpft.nhs.uk/stwtt