More than half of people referred to talking therapy in Wiltshire are waiting over six weeks for their first treatment, according to the latest figures.

Under the NHS Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme, 75 per cent of those referred by their doctors should access treatment within six weeks of assessment – and 95 per cent within 18 weeks.

New NHS England data reveals that of the 690 people who received their first psychological therapy treatment in the NHS Wiltshire CCG area in January, just 43 per cent has been treated within the six weeks of their initial assessment.

This is compared to January 2019, where 95 per cent of the 890 referred received their first treatment within the same threshold.

The steep drop in those receiving treatment in the six week window has been put down to staff shortages, according to the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP).

Psychological therapy involves clinical support for adults suffering with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

Dr Pete Wood, associate medical director for the AWP NHS Trust, said: “These figures for waiting times for access to our IAPT services in Wiltshire are from January 2020 and are mainly due to a staffing shortages.

“Since this data was released we have been working hard to address this.

“We have recruited new staff who will be joining the team shortly and we have been supporting our existing trainees with their development, so that we have the staff we need in place to provide interventions, and reduce the waiting times.”

Mental health charity Mind said patients should not ‘have to wait longer than 28 days to access the support they deserve’ and warned that current social distancing measures have led to a drop in referrals.

Geoff Heyes from Mind said the drop could be for several reasons, including discomfort around digital therapy or guilt about asking for help from the NHS during the outbreak.

He said: "We would encourage anyone who feels they need mental health support to make an appointment with their GP or refer themselves to talking therapies via IAPT.”

"It is vital that the coronavirus pandemic is understood as a mental health crisis, as well as a physical health crisis."