ONE in ten people in the North-East waited longer than a year to be referred for psychological therapy, an investigation has revealed.

The We Need to Talk coalition of mental health charities, professional bodies, Royal Colleges and service providers says, mental health services are unable to cope with demand for psychological therapies.

The coalition also claims that huge variations in referral rates and waiting times around the country are unacceptable and are making people more unwell.

It is calling on the next government to make access to talking therapies an immediate priority after the election.

Figures for the North-East also show that two-thirds of people who had to wait for therapy became more unwell, while one in five attempted suicide while waiting.

There is also what the coalition describes as a “worryingly large variation” in the numbers of people receiving treatment between different North-East clinical commissioning group areas.

One CCG - Darlington – reported that just 350 people started treatment during the last quarter of 2013-14 compared with Northumberland CCG where 1,720 people were referred for therapy during this quarter.

In North Yorkshire the referral figures for the same quarter were even lower, with 315 referred from Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby CCG, a total of 205 referred from Harrogate and Rural District and only 190 referred from Scarborough and Ryedale CCG.

An analysis by the coalition of the latest data from CCGs shows enormous variation in both referrals and waiting times across England.

While some CCGs say the majority of people are assessed for treatment within 28 days of referral, others report that more than 90 per cent have to wait longer.

The survey also revealed the toll on other services; six per cent of people waiting for therapy have been voluntarily admitted to hospital, three per cent admitted compulsorily under the Mental Health Act and seven per cent have come into contact with the police as a result of their mental health.

Psychological therapies are recognised as effective treatments for a wide range of mental health problems.

Paul Farmer, chair of the We Need to Talk coalition and chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said: “Far too many are facing unacceptably long waits or are struggling to even get a referral. This simply isn’t good enough.”