MORE than 8,000 people in the town have been offered appointments for psychological therapy support, including panic, phobias and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), in the last five months alone according to latest figures.

Nationally it was reported the chances of being seen with 28 days of a referral to IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) services in the last year was a postcode lottery with the proportion ranging from three per cent of referrals in one Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) area to 96 per cent in another, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

In Warrington, figures found 66 per cent of patients were treated for anxiety or depression within 28 days but a total of 390 people in the town had to wait more than 90 days.

Since the report was gathered and published however, a Warrington CCG spokesman has said waiting times to access IAPT services in the town has 'greatly reduced' and Mental Health Matters, which is commissioned by Warrington CCG to provide the service, is now seeing patients well within 28 days.

The confidential service offers support to anyone with common mental health problems including anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress or depression affecting employment, health or home life with a range of highly skilled professionals including mental health nurses and psychologists.

A spokesman added some residents can wait more than 28 days if they have specific personal requirements around the day, time and location they can be seen.

Current waiting times to see the team stand at four weeks for step two which offers interventions for conditions such as mild depression and sleep problems and two weeks for step three, which offer interventions for people with conditions such as OCD, social anxiety and panic disorder.

Dr Mike Dennis, CCG clinical lead for mental health, said: ‘It is recognised that one in four people will experience a mental health issue at some point in their lives.

"The service provided by Mental Health Matters is going a long way to help the people of Warrington cope with their mental health conditions."

Latest figures found there was a high number of recurrent depressive disorders in Warrington but Dr Dennis added: "Some mental health conditions are long term illnesses and something the patient has to manage throughout their lives.

"It is therefore expected that some patients attend treatment services multiple times.

"NHS Warrington CCG is committed to ensure the provision of mental health care in Warrington continues to improve."

Visit warringtoniapt.org.uk.