Mental health

Needs assessment and information on mental health and illness in Suffolk

This needs assessment follows the format of the national JSNA toolkit (in Related Links). The chapters are in PDF, and the key points from each chapter are given below.

The Veterans' mental health needs assessment is also listed. More information on mental health can be found in chapters of the State of Suffolk, and State of Children in Suffolk (see the Related Links).

Language used

This report uses some words and phrases that aren't our preferred terms. To be precise, we use other organisations' words or phrases where necessary, for example when reporting statistics.

Five key points from the section on population factors that can increase the risk of mental ill health or protect emotional wellbeing.

The following groups are identified as being of high risk of poor mental health: ethnic minority groups, people living with physical disabilities, people living with learning disabilities, people with alcohol and/or drug dependence, prison population, offenders and victims of crime, LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people, carers, people with sensory impairment, homeless people, and refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons.
Excess weight and obesity are also considered a risk factor for mental ill health. More than 3 in 5 (62.9%) adults in Suffolk are classified as overweight or obese, similar to the national average (63.5%).
On average, men with severe mental illness (SMI) die 20 years earlier, and women die 15 years earlier, than the general population.
In 2020/21, Suffolk had the highest rate of self-harm in 15-19 year olds in the East of England region and was the only county/unitary authority within the region with a statistically significantly higher rate than England.
There were 394 people in drug treatment in Suffolk in 2020/21 with an identified mental health need who were receiving treatment for their mental health; this is 81.1% of all people in drug treatment with an identified mental health need. This is statistically higher/better than the national average, and the highest of any county/unitary authority in the East of England.

Five key points from the section on environment factors that can increase the risk of mental ill health or protect emotional wellbeing.

Several areas of Suffolk have increased levels of relative deprivation. There is a strong link between deprivation and worse mental health. Support and interventions targeted in areas of highest deprivation around the county are likely to have the biggest impact on improving individual’s mental health.
Almost 1 in 4 people experiencing depression or anxiety are likely to be in problem debt, whereas fewer than 1 in 10 individuals without mental illness experience problem debt. Given the link between poverty and mental health – particularly in line with the rising cost of living – awareness needs to be made to Suffolk’s average weekly earnings being statistically significantly lower than the national average, with mental health support tailored to low-income individuals.
Individuals not in education, employment, or training between the ages of 16 to 24 are more likely to experience depression and unemployment – Suffolk has a statistically significant lower attainment 8 score than the England average – a considerable risk factor to be addressed to improve future mental health.
Ipswich has a statistically significant higher proportion of individuals claiming employment support allowance (ESA) benefits despite having the highest employment percentage in the county. To improve health outcomes for these individuals, support can be targeted to enable people to achieve better quality, more rewarding employment.
Suffolk has a lower proportion of individuals achieving NVQ level 3 qualifications and above than the England average. It also has nearly 10% fewer individuals in employment in occupations within SOC codes 1-3 (managers, directors and senior officials, professional occupations, and associate professional and technical occupations) than the England average.

Five key points from the section mental health in children and young people.

In 2021, 2.4% of Suffolk school children had a record of social, emotional, and mental health needs, an increase of 0.8 percentage points from 1.6% in 2015. While this rate is statistically significantly below the national average, the percentage of children with social, emotional, and mental health needs has statistically significantly increased each year since 2018.
In 2021/22, Suffolk’s self-harm rate for young people aged 10-24 was statistically significantly higher than the national average. The rate is 16.4% higher than the national average.
New referrals to secondary mental health services per 100,000 in Suffolk are statistically significantly higher than the national average.
In 2021/22, over 3 in 4 (76.2%) children aged 2-2½ years received the Healthy Child Programme or integrated 2 year review, statistically significantly higher than national averages. These reviews are essential to give children the best chance for development and providing opportunities for support (where required), earlier.
Children in care in Suffolk may need additional support. This may be while in care, and when they transition between services and as care leavers. Since 2011, there has been a 19.2% increase in the proportion of children in care (52 per 10,000 in 2011, 62 per 10,000 in 2022, n=921).

Five key points from the section perinatal mental ill health (mental ill health that occurs during pregnancy or in the first year following childbirth.

Perinatal mental ill health can affect up to 27% of mothers and approximately 10% of fathers.
There were over 45,000 people in contact with specialist perinatal mental health community services in England in the year to June 2022, an increase of 25% on the previous year.
In Suffolk, the population of women of childbearing age has been decreasing over recent years.
In Suffolk, there was a statistically significantly higher proportion (3.5%) of births to mothers under 20 years of age compared to the average in England (2.9%). Mothers in this age group are more likely to access mental health services.
In 2021, the lowest proportion of births (12.5%) were to mothers living in the most deprived areas of Suffolk, whereas in 2014 this had been the highest proportion (24.4%) of births.

Five key points from the section on mental health in people who are of working age.

Nationally, common mental health problems (CMHPs) lead to reduced income and employment, which entrenches poverty and increases the risk of mental health problems.
In 2021-22, 13.2% (n=87,437) people aged 18 and over in Suffolk had a recorded diagnosis of depression, the highest prevalence in the East of England, and statistically significantly higher than England as a whole (12.7%).
Most people (96-97%) from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) areas that cover Suffolk who were referred to talking therapies in 2021-22 started treatment within 6 weeks.
7,365 people in Suffolk are on the mental health register for schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, and other psychoses (2021-22).
In 2020-21, 13.0% (n=262) of people in Suffolk (aged 18 to 69) who were in contact with secondary mental health services and on the Care Plan Approach, were in paid employment. This was statistically significantly better than England (9.0%).

Five key points from the section on mental health in older people.

By 2042, nearly a third (30.7%) of Suffolk’s population will be aged 65 or over, statistically significantly higher than England (23.8%). There will be nearly twice (1.8 times) as many people aged 85 and over living in Suffolk in 2042 compared to 2022.
Most older people are not depressed and often are less dissatisfied than younger people.
In 2021, people aged 65 and over made up nearly a quarter of Suffolk’s population, but less than 10% of referrals to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services in the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) that cover Suffolk were for people in this age band.
Reducing loneliness and social isolation, addressing frailty, and supporting carers can help prevent poor mental health in older people.
Older people with poor mental health are more likely to also have long-term physical health conditions, and older people with chronic physical health conditions are 2 to 3 times more likely to have poor mental health (such as depression) than older people with good physical health.

Mental health

Language used

Population factors and mental health: five key points

Environmental factors and mental health: five key points

Children and young people's mental health: five key points

Perinatal mental health: five key points

People of working age and mental health: five key points

Older people's mental health: five key points