There has been a 500 per cent surge in individuals seeking talking therapies since 2015, with these claims making up 85 per cent of all mental health claims in 2022, according to Vitality.
New data from Vitality has revealed the importance of talking therapies in improving patients’ long-term mental and physical health. Talking therapy use has been linked to a major drop in expensive day-patient and in-patient treatments, down 77 per cent since 2015.
According to Vitality, these results highlight the close connection between mental and physical health and show the long-lasting benefits of timely talking therapy as 99 per cent of users did not need additional care within three months. It also reveals a link between talking therapies and a 21 per cent decrease in mental health hospital admissions and a 20 per cent decrease in other hospitalisations related to physical health.
The most common claims were for generalised anxiety at 58 per cent and depression at 17 per cent.
VitalityHealth managing director Dr Keith Klintworth says: “For both physical and mental health, Vitality has long believed in the importance of prevention and intervening early through everyday care to improve patient outcomes, and to reduce the long-term burden of ill health on insurers and the NHS.
Our latest data highlights the powerful role that broadening access to mental health care can have in delivering care. Not only is it a high-demand service but it provides positive knock-on impacts on members’ mental and physical health. We’ve always strived to support our members in engaging with healthy behaviours, and this goes beyond regular exercise and diet, but includes looking after your mind.”
